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THE 


CELEBRATED  CENTURY  SERMON, 

OP   THE 

REV.  NATHANAEL  HOWE 

OF 

HOPKINTON,  MASS. 

TOGETHER   WITH 

A   MEMOIR   OF   HIS   LIFE, 

BY  ELIAS  NASON,  A.  M. 


CENTURY    SERMON, 


DELIVEKED   IN  HOPKINTON,   MASS. 


LORD'S    DAY,    DECEMBER   24,    1815 


NATHANAEL  HOWE,  A.M. 

PASTOR   OF   TUB    CUURCH. 


"Yea,     I    THIHK    IT    MEET,    AS    LONG    AS    I    AM    IN    THIS    TABER!TACLE, 
TO    STIR    YOU    UP,    BY    PUTTING    YOU     IN   REMEMBRANCE." 

The  Jipostle  Peter. 


rOTJRTH   EDITION. 
WITH  A  MEMOIB  OF  THE  AUTHOR  AND  EXPLANATORY  NOTES, 

BY   ELIAS    NASON,  A.M. 


BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED   BY   JOHN   P.  JEWETT   &   CO. 
17   AND    19   CORNHILL. 

1851. 


/ 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1851,  by 

Elias  Nason  and  John  Fitch, 
in  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts. 


andoter:  j.  d.  flagq, 

aTCREOTTFER   AMD    PRINTER. 


r,r»»*' " 


MEMOIR 


REV.  NATHANIEL  HOWE, 


OF   HOPKINTON,   MASS. 


"  Mark  thk  perfect   man,  and  behold   the  upright  ;  for  the   end  of 

THAT    man    is    peace."  Dcivid. 

The  subject  of  this  Memoir  was  a  remarkable  man.  The  cast  of  his  mind 
was  original  and  severe.  The  bent  of  his  genius  was  to  be  useful  to  his 
fellow-men ;  and  the  leading  features  in  his  compact  and  massive  character 
stood  forth  in  such  distinct  relief,  as  to  leave  an  indelible  impress  on  the 
moral  aspect  of  the  community  in  wliich  he  lived. 

He  was  one  among  a  class  of  di\ines  now  rapidly  passing  away,  who  have 
magnified  their  office  ;  who 

"  Ne'er  have  changed,  nor  wished  to  change  their  place," 

but  whose  names  are  identified  with  the  names  of  the  towns  where  they 
reside  ;  and  this  brief  notice  of  his  life,  though  destitute  of  stiiking  inci- 
dent, will,  it  is  hoped,  prove  acceptable,  not  only  to  those  who  knew  him, 
and  who  hold  his  memory  dear  ;  but  also  to  those  young  clergjTncn  who  are 
rising  up  to  fill  the  places  of  "  the  great  and  good  "  of  other  days. 

Mr.  Howe  was  born  in  Linebrook  parish,  in  Ipswich,  Mass.,  on  the  6th 
of  October,  1764. 

He  was  the  third  son  of  Captain  Abraham  and  Lucy  (Appleton)  Howe, 
from  whom  he  received  a  sound  physical  constitution,  and  that  early  moral 
culture  which  was  to  give  shape  and  direction  to  liis  whole  life. 

Although  diflideot  and  bashful  in  his  boyhood,  he  was  noted  for  liis  con- 
scientious regard  for  truth ;  and  his  parents,  discovering  in  him  an  unusual 


aptitude  to  leam,  sent  him  to  Dummer  Academy^  at  Byfield,  then  under 
the  care  of  Mr.  Samuel  Moody,  to  prepare  for  college. 

On  leaving  this  place,  he  studied  for  a  while  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Leslie  of 
Linebrook ;  and  then  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  E.  Bradford  of  Ipswich,  with  a 
view  to  fit  himself  to  enter  college  two  classes  in  advance. 

It  was  under  the  faithful  instruction  of  this  latter  gentleman,  for  whom  he 
always  entertained  the  kindest  regard,  that  his  mind  was  impressed  with  a 
deep  sense  of  his  condition  as  a  sinner,  and  of  his  obligations  to  God ;  and 
was  brought,  through  penitence  and  faith  in  Christ,  to  entertain  that  "  hope 
which  maketh  not  ashamed." 

He  soon  after  made  a  public  profession  of  religion,  and  united  with  Mr. 
Bradford's  church,  at  Ipswich. 

In  September,  1784,  he  entered,  by  the  advice  and  recommendation  of 
Mr.  Bradford,  the  junior  class  at  Nassau  Hall,  in  Princeton,  N.  J.,  of  which 
the  celebrated  Dr.  Witherspoon  from  Scotland,  was  then  president. 

Having  remained  at  Princeton  one  year,  he  asked  and  obtained,  an  hon- 
orable dismission ;  and  then  entered  the  senior  class  of  Harvard  University, 
Avhere  he  was  graduated  in  1786.  His  standing  in  college  as  a  scholar  was 
respectable,  and  his  moral  character  without  reproach. 

Although  his  residence  at  Nassau  Hall  was  brief,  he  seems  to  have  pro- 
fited much  by  the  eloquent  and  impressive  religious  instruction  of  Dr.  With- 
erspoon, and  to  have  made  great  advancement  in  the  divine  life. 

He  was  always  very  fond  of  quoting  from  Dr.  Witherspoon  ;  and  one  of 
his  sayings :  "  Never  begin  to  speak  until  you  have  something  to  say,  and 
leave  off  when  you  have  done,"  he  fairly  carried  into  practice  through  his 
whole  life. 

On  leaving  college,  ]VIi\  Howe  spent  some  time  in  teaching  school  in  his 
native  town ;  and  then  entered  on  his  course  of  theological  study,  under  the 
tuition  of  Dr.  Hart,  of  Connecticut ;  which  he,  however,  completed  under 
the  direction  of  Dr.  Euunons,  of  FrankUn,  Mass.  From  this  distinguished 
divine,  who  continued  his  intimate  friend  through  life,  he  received,  not  only 
a  clear  elucidation  of  the  Calvinistic  system  of  divinity ;  but  also,  in  part, 
that  severe  style  of  thought  and  expression  which  sometimes  bordered  upon 
eccentricity.  He  was  not  an  imitator ;  and  yet,  in  his  close  intimacy  with 
Dr.  Emmons,  who  was  the  oracle  of  theological  students  of  that  day,  he  no 
doubt,  unconsciously,  imbibed  of  him  many  of  those  peculiar  mental  habits, 
for  which  both  were  so  remarkable. 

On  becoming  a  licenciate,  he  preached  at  Londonderry  and  Francistown, 
N.  H.,  at  Hampton,  Conn.,  and  at  Grafton,  Mass.  He  received  a  call  to 
settle  over  the  church  of  this  latter  place,  which  he  judged  it  prudent  to 
decline. 

1  Two  large  pear-trees,  which  he  planted  while  a  member  of  Dummer,  now  overshadow 
with  their  branches  the  ancient  house  al  Linebrook,  where  he  was  born. 


In  January,  1791,  he  began  to  preach  at  Hopkinton  as  a  candidate  ;  and 
in  May  following,  received  a  unanimous  call  from  the  church  to  settle  as  its 
pastor.  The  citizens  of  the  town  desired,  however,  that  he  should  admit 
children  to  baptism  whose  parents  were  in  the  "  half-way-covenant : "  (for 
an  account  of  which,  see  his  "  Century  Sermon  ;  ")  but  finding  him  opposed  to 
it,  they  finally  united  in  the  call  of  the  church,  and  he  vras  settled  as  min- 
ister for  life,  October  5,  1791,  with  a  salary  of  £70;  '  together  with  "  the 
improvement  (i  e.  use)  of  the  ministerial  land."  2  £200  were  also  allowed 
hun  as  a  "  settlement." 

In  answer  to  the  call,  Mr.  Howe  says :  "  At  my  first  coming  to  this  town, 
things  appeared  gloomy,  but  as  I  became  acquainted  with  the  people,  that 
gloom  vanished,  and  the  town  appeared  more  agreeable.  When  I  consider 
the  harmony  of  the  church,  the  unanimity  of  the  town,  their  generosity  in 
respect  to  my  support,  added  to  that  spirit  of  candor  which  seemed  to  pre- 
vail in  our  public  conference-meeting,  I  am  induced  to  accept  your  invi- 
tation." 

The  ordination  sermon  was  preached  by  his  venerated  instructor,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Bradford  of  Ipswich.  • 

About  three  months  after  his  settlement,  Mr.  Howe  was  married  to  Olive, 
the  sLsth  daughter  of  Col.  John  Jones  -^  of  Hopkinton,  by  whom  he  had  the 
follo\ving  children,  namely  :  Appletox,  ^  born  November  26,  1792,  and  now 
a  distinguished  physician  of  Weymouth,  Mass. ;  Eliza,  born  June  4,  1794, 
and  died  of  consumption,  December  27,  1815  ;  Mary  Jones,  born  Feb- 
ruary 2,  1802,  was  married  to  the  Rev.  Samuel  Russell  of  Boylston,  and 
died  November  26,  1836  ;  and  Lucy  Ann,  born  August  27,  1805,  and  was 
married  to  Mr.  John  Fitch,  son  of  Deacon  Elijah  Fitch,  of  whom  honorable 
mention  is  made  in  the  "  Century  Sermon." 


1  This  salary,  though  it  afterwards  depreciated  in  actual  value  about  one  half,  was  never 
changed.  It  was  a  narrow-minded  policy  on  the  part  of  the  town  thus  to  withhold  from  its 
minister  a  fair  support.  It  compelled  him,  in  his  own  quaint  and  severe  language,  "  to  do  their 
business,  and  neglect  his  own  ;  "  for,  continues  he,  "  What  is  your  business  .'  Your  business  is 
to  support  your  minister  ;  and  that  is  what  I  have  been  doing  for  more  than  twenty  years.  And 
what  is  mij  business  ?  My  business  is  to  preach,  and  in  this  I  have  never  abounded."  Had  the 
town  requited  him  justly  for  his  services,  it  would  have  received  the  full  benefit  of  the  powers 
of  a  mind,  unusually  strong  and  vigorous,  devoted  exclusively  to  its  spiritual  welfare. 

It  was  fortunate,  however,  in  having  a  minister  who  had  the  wit  to  write  a  couple  of  sermons 
of  a  Saturday  afternoon  ;  and  who  knew  how  to  draw  blood  without  disturbing  the  temper  of 
the  patient.     It  is  doing  better  now. 

2  This  consisted  of  100  acres  ;  together  with  the  same  quantity  of"  common  land,"  given  by 
the  Trustees  of  Hopkins's  donation  in  1711,  for  the  support  of  the  "  ministry  "  in  Hopkinton. 

3  He  was  the  third  son  of  Col.  John  Jones,  who  came  from  Boston  to  Hopkinton,  and  was 
admitted  "  a  member  in  full  communion  "  to  the  church,  December  10,  1727,  and  died  February 
7,  1773,  aged  82  years. 

4  He  was  graduated  at  Cambridge,  in  1815,  and  studied  medicine  with  Drs.  Warren  and  Jack- 
son of  Boston.  He  has  been  twice  elected  State  senator  ;  and  also  to  the  office  of  Major-general 
of  the  first  division  of  the  Massachusetts  militia.  His  character,  in  some  respects,  resembles 
that  of  his  father.  Like  him,  he  possesses  that  manly  independence  which  is  sure  to  make 
strong  friends,  as  well  as  enemies  ;  and  to  command  the  respect  of  both. 


6 

Soon  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Howe  purchased  of  Deacon  S.  Kinsman,  the 
house  and  farm,'  distant  about  half  a  mile  from  the  meeting-house,  and  near 
the  "  ministerial  land,"  where  he  was  to  spend  the  remainder  of  his  hfe. 

He  had  married  into  an  influential  family,  his  pecuniary  circumstances 
were  easy,  his  health  good,  and  his  church  flourisliing.  His  prospects  of  use- 
fulness were  unclouded  ;  and,  buoyant  with  hope,  he  dedicated  all  his  ener- 
gies to  the  work  before  him. 

His  time  was  now  for  several  successive  years  divided  between  his  pasto- 
ral duties,  the  composition  and  delivery  of  sermons,  and  the  reading  of  Bax- 
ter, Bunyan,  Saurin,  South,  Hopkins,  Witherspoon,  and  Emmons ;  who 
continued  to  be  his  favorite,  and  almost  liis  only  authors,  to  the  end  of 
life. 

The  times,  however,  did  not  long  remain  so  easy.  Finding  after  a  while 
the  expenses  of  his  family  rapidly  increasing,  and  his  salary,  from  the  depre- 
ciation in  the  value  of  money,  becoming  altogether  inadequate  to  its  support, 
he  began  to  relinquish,  in  some  degree,  his  literary  and  theological  pursuits,  and 
to  labor  with  his  own  hands  upon  his  farm,  in  order  that  he  might  "  provide 
tilings  honest  in  the  sight  of  all  men,"  for  the  maintenance  of  his  household. 

Adopting,  as  the  times  demanded,  a  rigid,  though  not  a  mean,  economy 
in  his  domestic  affairs,  and  toiling  vigorously  with  the  axe  in  winter,  with 
the  plough  in  sjiring,  and  the  scythe  in  summer,  he  was  enabled  to  eke  out 
his  scanty  salary  of  £70  in  such  a  manner,  as  to  maintain  his  family,  to  give 
his  children  a  good  education,  and  to  make  his  charities  and  almsgiving  felt 
throughout  the  town. 

"  We  have  a  good  soil,"  says  he  to  the  people  in  a  discourse  deUvered  in 
1830;  "rough  indeed,  and  rocky;  but  when  well  cultivated,  it  produces  a 
rich  crop,  and  amply  pays  for  the  labor  ;  I  speak  from  exjierience  ;  /  Jiave 
tried  it." 

In  liis  earnest  efforts  to  induce  the  town  to  make  up  to  him  the  depreciation 
in  his  salary,  so  quaintly  set  forth  in  his  "  Century  Sermon,"  he  seems  to  have 
acted  from  a  profound  and  innate  sense  of  justice ;  and  his  biting  and  oft- 
repeated  reproofs  to  his  people  for  their  delinquency  in  respect  to  his  sup- 
port, appear  to  have  been  administered  "  more  in  sorrow  than  in  anger." 
Mr.  Howe  loved  his  people  ;  and  they  respected  him.  The  bonds  that 
united  him  to  them  were  cemented  in  honor  and  integrity  ;  nor  did  he  ever 
dream  of  breaking  them  without  the  full  and  free  consent  of  both  the  church 
and  town. 

A  man  of  sterling  probity,  he  thought  correctly,  and  said  what  he  thought ; 
and  though  his  people  disregarded  his  remonstrances,  they  had  the  good  sense 
to  perceive  that  he  was  in  the  right,  and  the  patience  to  endure  the  shai-p 
rebukes  they  so  well  merited. 

1  Now  in  the  possession  of  Mr.  John  Fitch. 


He  did  not  fail  to  improve,  to  the  end  of  his  life,  all  suitable  occasions  for 
reminding  the  town  of  its  injustice  in  regard  to  his  suppoi-t. 

In  his  sermon  preached  at  the  dedication  of  the  new  church,  in  1830, 
which  forms  a  very  good  counterpart  to  his  "  Century  Sermon,"  he  says : 
"  To  the  male  inhabitants  of  the  parish,  it  is  no  part  of  my  intention  to-day 
to  make  any  complaint  for  any  lack  of  justice,  or  equity,  or  mercy  in  your 
treatment  of  me  in  respect  to  my  support  ;  that  must  be  left  to  God  and  your 
own  consciences  and  a  future  day  of  retribution." 

It  was  a  maxim  often  repeated  by  Mr.  Howe,  that  "  the  second  vice  is 
lying  ;  the  first,  is  running  in  debt,"  and  the  fear  of  incurring  liabilities  which 
he  could  not  meet,  often  led  him  into  doubts  and  anxieties,  wliich  seemed  to 
indicate  the  want  of  a  suitable  trust  in  the  divine  beneficence.  Of  his  firm 
reliance  on  the  goodness  of  God,  however,  there  can  be  no  doubt ;  he  looked 
upon  himself  only  as  the  steward  and  almoner  of  his  bounty  ;  he  labored  with 
his  hands;  he  pi-actised  self-denial;  he  sought  for  justice  from  his  fellow- 
men  ;  —  not  for  the  sake  of  hoarding  money  ;  not  for  the  sake  of  benefiting  him- 
self alone  ;  but  in  order  that  he  might  "  owe  no  man  anything  but  love  ;"  in 
order  that  he  might  have  something  to  relieve  the  wants  of  the  distressed. 

Owing  to  the  rise  in  the  value  of  his  real  estate,  to  legacies  from  deceased 
relatives,  and  to  his  persevering  and  well-directed  industry,  he  was  enabled 
to  leave  property  amounting  to  between  four  and  five  thousand  dollars. 
This  was,  however,  not  one  tliird  of  what  the  legacies  themselves,  had  they 
remained  on  interest,  would  have  been. 

It  would  be  domg  injustice  not  to  mention  that  while  the  parish,  as  such, 
remained  indiflferent  to  the  claims  of  its  minister,  many  of  the  citizens  of  the 
town  extended  to  him  their  sympathies  and  contributed  something  to  make 
up  the  deficiency  in  his  salary. 

In  1811,  the  ladies  of  the  parish  presented  him  an  elegant  surplice  ;  and 
on  the  very  day  after  the  delivery  of  his  "  Century  Sermon,"  which  "  cut  the 
consciences  of  his  people  to  the  quick,"  a  subscription-paper  was  started  for 
the  purpose  of  raising  money  to  purchase  him  a  suit  of  clothes.  The  caption 
of  this  paper,  on  which  I  find  between  forty  and  fifty  names,  is  alike  honor- 
able to  himself  and  to  his  friends. 

"  December  25,  1815. 

"  "We,  the  subscribers,  feeling  sensible  of  our  obligations  to  support  a  min- 
ister, and  being  perfectly  acquainted  with  the  many  persecutions  which  the 
Rev.  Nathanael  Howe  has  suffered  ;  viewing  the  distressful  and  unhappy  situ- 
ation of  his  family ;  feeling  it  a  duty  incumbent  on  us  as  citizens  of  the  town 
and  friends  of  good  order ;  being  conscious  that  the  regular  and  exemplary 
life  which  our  much-respected  minister  has  ever  led,  has  tended  greatly  to 
the  happiness  of  his  people,  and  knowing  that  the  pecuniary  aid  rendered 
him  by  the  town  is  quite  insufficient  for  his  support ;  agree  to  pay  the  several 
sums  affixed  to  our  names,  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing  him  a  mourning 
suit,  which  in  all  probability  in  a  few  days  he  must  be  called  to  wea  r." 


The  whole  amount  subscribed  was  $65,  of  which  Elizabeth  Price'  and 
Mai-y  riildretli  fjave  $5  each ;  Joseph  Valentine  $3,  Arba  Thayer,  Samuel 
Goddard,  Mr.  Ilcrrick,  Mr.  Valentine,  W.  Rockwood,  E.  Fairbanks,  J.  Bur- 
nap,  11.  Smith,  Samuel  Valentine,  F.  Ilohnes,  and  Benjamin  Adams,  $2 
each  ;  and  all  the  others,  $1  each. 

This  "  mourning  suit "  was  hardly  done,  when  Mr.  Howe  was  called  upon, 
as  anticipated  in  the  heading  of  the  subscription-list,  to  put  it  on  and  wear  it 
at  the  funeral  of  Eliza,  his  oldest  daughter,  who  died  on  the  27th  of  this, 
"  the  gloomiest  December  "  he  had  ever  seen. 

He  seemed  to  have  had  that  same  intense  affection  for  tliis  chUd  which 
Ednunid  Burke  felt  for  his  son  ;  her  death  fiUed  his  mind  with  the  keenest 
anguish,  and  to  it  may  be  attributed,  in  a  great  degree,  that  remarkable 
"  depression  of  spirit,"  wliich  came  upon  him  at  intervals  through  the  remain- 
der of  his  life. 

In  poUtics,  Mr.  Howe  was  a  conservative  and  a  consistent  advocate  of  the 
leading  measures  of  the  whig  party.  He  thought  it  the  duty  of  every  min- 
ister of  the  gospel  to  make  his  political  principles  distinctly  known ;  and  he 
therefore  sometimes  spoke  with  undue  severity  against  the  measures  of  the 
popular  party  in  Hopkinton.  The  native  independence  of  his  character  led 
him  to  despise  every  kind  of  political  artifice  ;  and  notliing  could  ever 
prevent  him  from  proclaiming  freely  the  honest  con\'ictions  of  his  mind  upon 
all  those  subjects  of  national,  state,  and  town  policy,  with  which  he  was  in 
any  way  conversant. 

He  defined  his  political  position  in  early  life,  and  his  opponents  always 
found  htm  zealously  maintaining  it  with  his  front  directed  towards  them  to 
the  last. 

Not  long  after  the  delivery  of  his  "  Century  Sermon,"  and  while  suffering 
under  great  depression  of  spirits,  he  preached  a  discourse  from  the  text, 
"  Finally,  brethren,  pray  for  us,"  which  gave  great  offence  to  his  congrega- 
tion. Among  other  severe  things,  he  said  that  he  had  reason  to  believe  "  that 
the  day  of  his  funeral  would  be  a  day  of  as  great  joy  to  this  people  as  the  day 
of  his  ordination."  This  discourse  occasioned  several  meetings  of  the  church ; 
but  it  was  finally  concluded  that  the  objectionable  remarks  were  as  well- 
meant  as  they  were  justly  merited ;  and  the  whole  matter  was  dropped. 
Mr.  Howe  called  the  church  "  a  minister's  lifeguard  ; "  and  "  what  should  you 
think,"  said  he  to  his  people  in  reference  to  his  own  peculiar  position,  "  what 
should  you  think  of  the  situation  of  a  general,  whom  his  own  lifeguard  should 
threaten  to  shoot  for  fear  of  his  being  destroyed  by  the  enemy."  It  may  be 
here  observed,  that  many  of  his  illustrations  of  this  nature  are  Inimitable  and 
perfectly  to  the  point. 

At  one  time  during  his  ministry,  the  singers  all  took  offence  and  left  the 


1  Daughter  of  the  Rev.  Roger  Price,  Rector  of  King's  Chapel,  Boston. 


9 

choir.  On  the  next  Sabbath,  he  related  the  following  dream,  which  had  tlie 
desired  effect,  of  restoring  them  to  their  places.  He  dreamed  that  a  spirit 
from  the  other  world  appeared  before  liim,  and  informed  him  that  there  was 
singing  enough  in  heaven,  but  none  in  hell ;  and  that  one  of  the  most  essen- 
tial distinctions  between  angels  and  devils  consists  in  this,  that  the  former 
delight  in  singing,  while  the  latter  have  no  inclination  to  engage  in  this 
heavenly  employment. 

The  angels  (continued  the  spirit)  were  all  crcateil  in  holiness  ;  but  in  pro- 
cess of  time  a  part  of  them  became  tired  of  emploj-ing  their  faculties  in  sing- 
ing the  songs  of  heaven.  When  these  were  urged  to  use  all  their  talents  in 
the  service  of  God,  they  said  they  had  no  encouragement  to  sing,  or,  in  other 
"words,  no  pay !  They  would  not  trust  the  Lord  to  reward  them,  but  must 
be  paid  by  their  fellow-servants.  The  Almighty,  therefore,  prepared  them 
a  different  place  and  name. 

I  awoke,  (said  Mr.  Howe,)  and  lay  musing  on  the  subject  for  sometime,  and 
then  fell  asleep ;  my  thoughts  turned  to  my  former  dream ;  departed  spirits 
appeared  to  me,  and  their  conversation  was  audible.  At  length,  one  of  them 
stood  forth  to  interpi'Ct  the  dream,  and  said  it  had  respect  to  the  people  of 
Hopkintou.  Your  last  year's  singers  (observed  the  interpreter)  are  all  dead. 
I  saw  them  go  to  heaven's  gate  and  knock  for  admission.  Whereupon 
Gabriel  opened  the  gate  and  said,  "  Who  are  you  ?  Can  you  sing  ? " 
"  No  ! "  "  Then  you  cannot  be  admitted  here."  "  We  did  sing  for  a  time," 
replied  they,  "  but  were  discouraged."  "  He  that  putteth  his  hand  to  the 
plough,"  answered  Gabnel,  "  and  looketh  back,  is  not  fit  for  the  kingdom  of 
God  ;  you  cannot  be  admitted  here."  "  We  would  have  sung,  if  there  had 
been  suitable  encouragement."  "  Those  who  ivill  not  sing  on  earth,"  returned 
the  angel,  "  shall  not  sing  in  heaven.  You  can't  be  admitted  here  :  Depart, 
depart!"  Upon  this,  the  gulf  opened  and  swallowed  them  up..  Then  I 
awoke,  (said  Mr.  Howe,)  and  "  behold  it  was  a  dream ;  but  the  tiling  was 
certain,  and  the  interpretation  thereof,  sure." 

The  only  "  tune  "  which  Mr.  Howe  is  ever  known  to  have  learned  to  sing 
is  "  Islington ; "  but  though  he  had  no  musical  powers  in  himself,  he  appre- 
ciated them  higlily  in  others  ;  and  sometimes  "  boarded  "  the  singing-master 
gratuitously,  in  order  that  he  might  have  music  in  his  family,  and  improve  the 
style  of  it  in  his  church.  In  his  dedication  sermon,  1830,  he  says,  "  I  feel 
myself  under  more  obligation  to  them  (the  singers)  than  to  any  other  class  of 
the  parish." 

To  his  efforts  and  encouragement  may  be  attributed  in  part  that  lively 
interest  in  sacred  music  which  has  so  long  prevailed  in  Hopkinton,  and  which 
continues  unabated  to  the  present  time. 

In  the  education  of  the  young,  he  took  a  special  interest.  He  was  in  the 
habit,  so  long  as  the  state  of  his  health  permitted,  of  visiting  all  the  pubUc 
schools  in  town  once  or  twice  a  year,  for  the  purpose  of  catechizing  the 

9 


10 

children,  of  giving  them  pious  counsel,  and  of  encouraging  them  in  the  pursuit 
of  useful  knowledge.  He  was  very  fond  of  children  ;  and  had  a  rare  faculty 
of  interesting  them  in  what  he  said,  and  of  winning  their  affection  and 
respect.  He  never  left  a  school  without  uniting  with  it  in  prayer  •,  without 
impressing  some  striking  thought  upon  the  minds  of  all. 

"  How  much  pleasure  I  feel,"  said  he  on  a  certain  occasion,  "  when  I  see 
a  good  master,  or  a  good  mistress  and  a  good  school,  in  good  order,  with 
their  bright  eyes  and  ivory  teeth,  trying  to  learn.  It  keeps  coming  into  my 
mind.  The  world  is  indeed  growing  better  ! " 

The  most  highly-valued  present  which  the  writer  of  this  has  ever  received 
is  a  "  Bible,"  given  him  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Howe,  as  "  a  reward  of  merit," 
ivhen  a  boy  at  school. 

Several  young  men  were  led,  by  Mr.  Howe's  advice  and  pecuniary  assist- 
ance, to  obtain  a  liberal  education  ;  and  two  of  them  are  now  distinguished 
clergj'men,  one  in  this,  and  another  in  an  adjoining  State. 

In  common  with  many  ministers  of  his  time,  Mr.  Howe  was  in  the  habit  of 
using  moderately  stimulating  drink  ;  which  he  thought  essential  to  the  support 
of  his  constitution  under  the  severe  manual  labor  in  which  he  engaged. 

It  is  related  of  him,  that  while  on  a  journey  to  Boston  with  a  load  of  ship- 
timber  on  one  bitter  cold  day  in  winter,  he  stopped  at  a  tavern  and  called 
for  a  glass  of  brandy ;  but  the  tavern-keeper,  not  recognizing  in  his  cus- 
tomer the  minister  of  Hopkinton,  and  noticing  the  tremuloiis  motion  in  his 
limbs  (wliich  was  habitual  with  him),  refused  to  accommodate  him,  on  the 
ground  that  he  had  drunk  enough  already.  Mr.  Howe  very  good-naturedly 
desired  him  to  treat  every  applicant  for  brandy  in  the  same  manner,  and 
went  on  his  way,  philosophising,  no  doubt,  upon  the  best  means  of  making 
the  town  of  Hopkinton  support  its  minister. 

When-the  temperance  reformation  begun,  however,  he  was  one  of  the  first  to 
engage  in  a  society  for  the  promotion  of  the  cause  ;  yet  he  was  slow  to  believe 
that  temperance  meant  "  total  abstinence  from  all  which  intoxicates."  In 
his  dealings  with  his  feUow-men  he  was  open-handed  and  above-board,  and 
he  desired  the  same  kind  of  treatment  in  return.  The  following  letter, 
written  near  the  close  of  his  life,  illustrates  this  trait  in  his  character,  and 
shows  how  he  stood  in  respect  to  the  temperance  cause.  It  will  sufficiently 
explain  itself. 

"  To  the  Managers  of  the  Temperance  Society  in  Hopkinton. 
"  Gentlemen  :  The  language  and  spirit  of  your  letter  to  me,  dated  Feb.  19, 
1836,  have  merited  and  received  my  attention  ;  the  result  of  which  I  will  com- 
municate to  you.  Seeing  you  are  grieved  at  my  using  of  gin,  at  different 
times  and  places,  not  privately,  but  publicly,  under  the  direction  and  advice 
of  a  temperate  physician,  which  is  agreeable  to  your  own  by-laws,  for  a 
complaint  which  has  attended  me  for  years,  and  sometimes  seriously  threat- 


11 

ened  my  life,  I  am  led  to  conclude  it  is  best  for  me  to  resign  my  office  as 
president  of  your  society,  and  require  that  my  name  should  be  erased  from 
the  number  of  its  members  ;  not  from  any  disregard  or  disaffection  to  the 
temperance  cause,  which  ought  to  be  sustained  by  every  member  of  the 
community ;  but  from  your  disrespect  to  me  as  your  president,  in  calhng 
and  holding  a  meeting  •vrithout  my  knowledge  or  consent,  to  do  business 
which  was  more  interesting  to  me  than  any  other  member.  This,  gentle- 
men, I  receive  unkindly.  This  reason  I  consider  sufficient  for  requiiing 
that  my  name  should  be  erased  from  your  body,  and  from  this  time  I  shall 
consider  my  connection  with  the  temperance  society  in  Hopkinton  dissolved. 
Let  me  say,  I  have  the  present  week  joined  the  county  temperance  society 
in  Charlestown,  and  hope  to  avoid  whatever  will  be  injurious  to  its  progress. 
It  is  my  intention  to  harbor  no  unfriendly  feelings  to  your  number  on 
account  of  anything  said  or  done  with  respect  to  this  matter.  With  senti- 
ments of  respect,  I  am  yours,  etc.  etc.  Nathanael  Howe. 
"February,  25,  1836." 

In  February,  1827,  Mr.  Howe's  second  daughter,  Mary  Jones,  was  mar- 
ried to  the  Rev.  JNIr.  Russell,  then  minister  of  Boylston,  Mass.  She  had 
embraced  religion  some  ten  years  previous,  and  her  union  with  an  efficient 
minister  of  the  Cross  gave  hopes  —  too  soon,  alas  !  to  be  blasted  —  of  a  long 
career  of  usefulness  and  of  happiness  to  come. 

In  this  year,  ]VIr.  Howe  was  made  a  life-member  of  the  American  Education 
Society,  by  the  ladies  of  his  parish.  He  had  been  made  a  life-member  of 
the  American  Bible  Society,  in  1822. 

In  the  year  1828,  his  health  began  to  dechne,  and  the  church  and  some 
of  the  parish  thought  the  time  had  come  to  have  a  new  minister.  A  meet- 
ing was  therefore  held,  and  a  joint  committee  of  the  church  and  parish 
appointed,  to  agree  with  liim  on  the  tenns  of  his  dismission.  It  was  proposed 
and  accepted,  that  they  should  give  him  a  thousand  dollars,  to  be  paid  in 
ten  annual  instalments,  without  interest ;  and  in  case  he  should  not  live  ten 
years,  it  was  to  be  secured  to  liis  family.  A  mutual  council  was  immediately 
called,  of  which  Dr.  Kellogg  Avas  moderator,  which  voted  to  dissolve  the 
connection  between  Mr.  Howe  and  his  people,  provided  they  should  fulfil 
their  agreement  with  him.  Four  days  after  this,  the  parish  held  another 
meeting,  and  rescinded  the  vote  to  dismiss  their  pastor,  by  a  majority  of  66 
to  42  ;  but  made  no  provision  to  relieve  him  from  the  expense  of  the  council, 
which  had  been  mutually  called  for  his  dismission.  Of  this  injustice,  he  was 
never  heard  to  complain. 

He  hoped  the  old  meeting-house,  which  was  built  in  1725,  with  square, 
uncomfortable  pews,  and  with  a  huge  "  sounding-board  "  above  the  towering 
pulpit,  "  would  last  as  long  as  he  did  ;  "  but  when  the  parish  had  decided  to 
build  another  house,  he  rendered  it  all  the  assistance  in  his  power. 


12 

Preacliing  one  day  to  bis  people,  before  they  had  fully  determined  to 
erect  a  new  house,  and  perceiving  them  to  be  in  a  somewhat  lethargic  state, 
he  stopped  suddenly  in  the  midst  of  his  discourse,  and  casting  his  eyes 
around  him,  remarked  that  they  were  talking  about  building  another  meet- 
ing-house, but  he  did  not  know  as  it  was  worth  while,  as  the  timbers 
appeared  to  be  in  a  pretty  good  condition,  and  he  was  sure  "  the  sleepers 
were  sound." 

His  most  intimate  clerical  tnends  were  Dr.  Emmons  of  Franklin,  for 
whose  theological  opinions  he  entertained  the  most  profound  respect ;  Dr. 
Ide  of  Medway,  Mr.  Rockwood  of  Westboro',  Mr.  Wood  of  Upton,  and 
Mr.  Long  of  Milford.  Of  the  latter  gentleman,  he  once  observed,  on  intro- 
ducing him  to  an  association  of  clergymen,  "  He  is  a  man  who  has  but  one 
fault ;  he  never  agrees  with  me  in  opinion,  only  when  he  thinks  I  'm  right." 
With  these  ministers  his  "  pulpit  exchanges "  were  usually  made ;  in  their 
society  his  social  qualities  shone  forth  in  all  their  lustre,  and  by  their  counsel 
and  advice  he  was  the  better  enabled  to  fulfil  the  arduous  duties  of  his  vo- 
cation. In  referring  to  liis  intercourse  Avitli  INIr.  Howe,  one  of  the  above- 
mentioned  clergymen  remarks  :  — 

"  At  the  first  interview,  I  received  the  impression,  that  unaffected  affa- 
bility was  a  prominent  trait  in  his  character.  That  first  impression  was 
never  afterwards  effaced,  but,  on  the  contrary,  was  strengthened  by  long  and 
intimate  acquaintance.  Another  trait  in  his  character  was  open-hearted 
sincerity.  Deception  had  no  place  in  his  composition.  In  his  intercourse 
with  his  friends,  he  was  perfectly  transparent.  When  we  heard  him  speak, 
we  knew  what  he  meant.  We  never  found  him  on  any  other  ground  than 
that  which  he  professed  to  occupy,  unless,  on  a  review,  he  was  convinced  of 
incorrectness,  and  in  that  case  he  was  always  ingenuous  to  admit  and  to 
express  such  conviction  ;  for  truth  seemed  ever  to  be  his  prime  object. 

"  He  generally  possessed  a  flow  of  cheerful  spirits,  and  in  his  intercourse 
with  confidential  friends,  when  he  had  no  apprehension  of  ill  effects,  he 
would  sometimes  indulge  in  flashes  of  wit  which  they  were  not  prepared  to 
anticipate.  Yet,  notwithstanding  the  general  maxim,  that  '  ready  wit  and 
sound  judgment  are  seldom  found  to  meet  in  the  same  person,'  his  opinions 
in  matters  of  weight  and  Importance  were  often  sought,  and  always  respected, 
both  by  his  people  and  by  ministers  around  him.  He  possessed  a  quickness 
of  apprehension  and  perspicuity  of  expression  which  rendered  his  communi- 
cations acceptable  and  useful." 

As  a  matter  of  conscience,  he  confined  his  "  exchanges  "  to  ministers  of  his 
own  denomination ;  and  when,  on  a  certain  occasion,  some  disaflTected 
members  of  the  parish  obtained  the  use  of  the  church,  and  employed  a 
Unitarian  clergjTuan  to  preach  at  a  third  service,  Mr.  Howe  himself 
attended,  and,  as  soon  as  the  speaker  had  finished  his  discourse,  went  up 
into  the  pulpit,  invited  him  and  the  audience  to  remain,  and  then,  taking  for 


13 

his  text  the  passage,  "  How  then  mmt  this  Scripture  be  ful^lled,  that  thus  it 
must  be"  handled  his  subject  in  a  most  masterly  manner,  and  by  thia 
manoeuvre,  "  put  an  end,"  as  some  one  expresses  it,  "  to  Unitarian  preaching 
in  Hopkinton  to  this  day." 

Though  he  believed  that  Unitarians  were  laboring  under  a  great  and 
fundamental  error,  he  nevertheless  always  exercised  a  spirit  of  tolerance 
with  regard  to  them.  He  was  no  bigot.  "  Who  cannot  see,"  he  exclaims  in 
one  of  his  discourses,  "  that  we  are  all  upon  a  level,  as  it  respects  reUgious 
freedom,"  — just  where  the  Constitution  of  the  State  places  us  ?  — just  where 
the  God  of  nature  has  placed  us  ?  —  and  just  where  we  may  be  ha^ipy,  if  we 
will  only  put  away  ill-nature,  backbiting,  and  slander  ?  " 

Erroneous  denominations  are  to  be  put  down,  he  continues,  not  by  cal- 
umny, "  but  by  doing  better  than  they  do ;  by  rising  above  them  by  dint  of 
merit." 

In  January,  1830,  the  new  meeting-house  in  Hopkinton  was  dedicated, — 
Mr.  Howe  preacliing  a  memorable  sermon  on  the  occasion,  —  and  in  April, 
of  the  same  year,  it  was  proposed  to  him,  that,  in  consequence  of  his  increas- 
ing infirmities,  a  colleague  should  be  appointed  to  assist  him  in  the  work  of 
the  ministry.  In  his  charactei-istic  reply  to  tliis  proposal,  he  says  :  "  To  this 
(the  appointment  of  a  colleague)  I  freely  consent ;  because,  should  I  in 
any  measure  recover  my  health,  it  is  not  to  be  expected  at  my  period  of 
life,  and  with  my  infirmities,  that  I  could  do  what  you  need  to  have  done  in 
my  profession.  As  I  have  been  your  minister  for  upwards  of  38  years  ;  as 
I  am  unable  to  support  myself  by  labor  ;  as  my  wife  has  been  lame  for  more 
than  ten  years  ;  as  my  Avorldly  circumstances  are  far  less  favorable  than  are 
generally  supposed  ;  as  I  stand  in  as  much  need  of  my  full  salary  as  at  any 
former  period  ;  as  I  was  settled  for  hfe,  and  as  the  legislature  have  enacted 
a  law,  that  ministers  shall  be  subject  to  taxation,  which  was  not  expected, 
either  by  you  or  by  me,  at  the  time  of  my  settlement ;  it  would  seem  as 
though  you  would  not  wish  me  to  reUnquish  any  part  of  my  salary. 

"  But  for  the  good  of  the  parish,  if  they  will  settle  a  colleague  pastor,  I 
will  relinquish  one  hundred  dollars  of  my  salary  annually,  on  and  after  the 
day  of  his  ordination,  and  also  all  the  ministerial  wood-land ;  all  the  pasture- 
land  north  of  the  meeting-house,  and  all  the  meadow-land,  amounting  to 
sixty  acres,  reserving  only  for  myself  $133  38  of  my  annual  salary,  and  also 
the  forty-acre  lot  of  land,  near  to  my  house,  during  my  natural  life." 

When  Mr.  Howe,  in  former  times,  had  asked  the  town  for  more  salary,  he 
was  met  by  the  reply,  that  "  a  bargain  is  a  bargain,"  and,  if  he  had  made  a 
poor  one,  he  must  stand  by  it ;  but  now,  when  he  is  called  on  to  relinquish  a 
portion  of  his  income,  which  he  might  legally  retain,  instead  of  replying,  that 
"  a  bargain  is  a  bargain,"  he  cheerfully  accedes  to  the  proposal  of  the  town, 
and  remits  to  it  a  large  part  of  what  was  actually  his  due.  This  was  noble  ; 
and  it  goes  to  show  that,  in  all  his  conflicts  with  the '  town,  the  good  of  the 
people  was  the  dearest  object  of  his  heart. 


14 

The  Rev.  Amos  Phelps  was  ordained  as  colleague  with  him,  on  the  14th 
of  September,  1830,  and  continued  to  labor  with  him,  until  May  1,  1832, 
■when,  by  his  dismission,  Mr.  Howe  became  again  the  sole  pastor  of  the 
church,  and  received  again  his  full  salary.^  His  health,  however,  continuing 
feeble,  the  Rev.  Jeifries  Hall  was  ordained  as  colleague  with  him,  in  1833.2 

Acting  in  accordance  with  his  favorite  maxim,  that  "  it  is  better  to  wear 
out  than  to  rust  out,"  he  now  continued,  though  suflFering  from  the  inroads  of 
disease,  to  visit  his  parishioners,  to  dispense  his  charities  among  the  poor,  to 
look  after  the  concerns  of  his  farm,  and  to  preach  occasionally,  for  several 
successive  years.  He  lived  on  the  most  friendly  terms  with  his  colleagues  ; 
and,  sustained  by  those  great  truths  which  he  had  so  faithfully  promulgated, 
he  passed  quietly  down  the  vale  of  life ;  dispensing,  like  a  fine  setting  sun, 
his  most  hallowed  radiance,  as  he  left  the  world.  His  last  sermon  was 
preached  at  Franklin,  December  25,  1836,  from  Gal.  1  :  10,  "  For  if  I  yet 
pleased  men,  I  should  not  be  the  servant  of  Christ ;  "  and  his  last  public 
service  was  the  prayer,  remarkable  for  its  fervency  and  appropriateness,  at 
the  installation  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Brigham  at  Framingham.  His  mind  was 
tranquil  and  composed  during  his  last  sickness,  which  was  very  distressful 
and  severe.  His  death  occurred  on  the  15th  of  February,  1837,  in  the  73d 
year  of  his  age,  and  in  the  46th  year  of  his  ministry .3  His  funeral  sermon 
was  preached  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Ide  of  Medway. 

The  publications  of  Mr.  Howe  ai-e  as  follows,  namely :  — 

1.  "  A  Sermon  preached  at  Hopkinton,  on  Lord's  day,  Feb.  28,  1808, 
occasioned  by  the  death  of  three  persons  the  week  preceding  its  delivery." 

2.  "A  Century  Sermon,  delivered  in  Hojikinton,  Mass.,  on  Lord's  day, 
Dec.  24,  1815."  This  is  an  original  production  ;  a  diamond  of  the  first  water. 
It  is  an  honest  transcript  of  what  an  honest  man  thought ;  and  is  the  best 
biography  wliich  can  ever  be  written  of  him.  It  was  very  favorably  noticed, 
on  its  first  appearance,  by  the  North  American  Review,  and  by  the  news- 
papers generally.  It  has  passed  through  several  editions,  and  has  been 
translated  into  foreign  languages.     Perhaps  no  semion  ever  published  in  New 

1  Mr.  Howe,  at  this  time,  relinquished  to  tlie  town,  for  $30  per  annum,  his  right  to  the  sixty 
acres  of"  ministerial  land,-'  which  had  again  come  into  his  possession. 

2  M:-.  Hall  was  dismissed,  May  22,  1838,  and  the  Rev.  John  C.  Webster,  the  present  efficient 
pastor,  was  installed  in  December  of  the  same  year. 

3  His  wife,  a  lady  every  way  qualified  for  the  duties  of  her  station,  died  on  the  10th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1843.  One  of  her  intimate  acquaintances  thus  speaks  of  her ;  and  all  who  knew  her  will 
acknowledge  the  description  just;  — 

"  I  ever  viewed  lier  as  a  person  of  superior  mind,  quick  perception,  peculiar  energy,  and 
unconquerable  fortitude  and  resolution.  She  was  as  distinguished  as  her  husband,  for  unaf- 
fected affability,  unwavering  and  affectionate  friendship,  as  well  as  for  correct  thinking,  keen 
penetration,  and  sound  judgment.  Her  judicious  management  in  her  domestic  concerns  often 
prevented  the  family,  with  its  limited  support,  from  being  plunged  into  embarrassment. 

"  But  tlie  brightest  trait  in  her  cliaracter  was  her  unoslentatious  piety.  She  was  decidedly 
averse  to  all  Pharisaical  display  in  religion  ;  but  she  was  always  ready  to  unite,  with  deep  inter- 
est, in  conversation  with  Christian  friends  on  the  subject ;  and  was  feelingly  alive  to  the  impor- 
tance of  possessing  as  well  as  professing  true  piety." 


15 

England,  is  more  generally  known.     Many  of  its  expressions  have  become 
pi'overbial ;  many  of  its  pages  as  familiar  to  the  ear  as  "  household  words." 

3.  "  A  Sermon  on  the  Design  of  Jolm's  Baptism,  delivered  at  Foxborough, 
before  the  Mendon  Association,  Oct.  6,  1819." 

4.  "  An  Attempt  to  prove  that  John's  Baptism  was  not  Gospel  Baptism ; 
being  a  Reply  to  Dr.  Baldwin's  Essay  on  the  same  subject."  Printed  by 
Flagg  and  Gould,  at  Andover,  1820. 

5.  "  A  Catechism,  extracted  chiefly  from  the  Assembly's  Catechism.  To 
which  are  added  Miscellaneous  Questions,  concisely  answered,  and  a  Chapter 
of  Proverbs  for  common  Ufe,  for  the  Children  under  his  pastoral  care." 
Boston,  Perkins  and  Marvin,  1834. 

In  these  questions  and  proverbs,  ]\Ir.  Howe  has  pithily  expressed  a  good 
deal  of  that  practical  wisdom  by  which  his  life  was  guided.  The  following 
may  be  taken  as  a  fair  specimen  of  them  :  — 

Question.  "  "\Yho  are  wise  ?  " 

Answer.    "  None  but  such  as  are  determined  to  be  vnser  still." 

Q.  "  What  is  the  reason  that  man  is  so  unhappy  in  his  faniily  ?  " 

A.  "  Because  he  keeps  a  bottle  of  rum  in  his  house." 

Q.  "  What  hurt  does  that  do  ?  " 

A.  "  No  hurt  at  all,  if  he  would  let  it  alone." 

Q.  "  What  has  the  rich  man  more  than  the  poor  ?  " 

A.  "  Nothing,  but  what  God  has  given  him." 

Q.  "  What  reason  has  he,  then,  to  exult  over  the  poor  ?  " 

A.  "  No  reason  at  all." 

Q.  "  Who  are  the  rich  ?  " 

A.  "  AU  such  as  have  health,  peace,  and  liberty,  and  none  to  make  them 
afraid." 

Q.  "  What  is  the  reason  that  man  is  more  prosperous  than  his  neighbor  ?  " 

A.  "  Because  he  always  takes  care  of  little  things  ;  he  lets  nothing  be  lost, 
strikes  when  the  iron  is  hot,  and  keeps  his  dish  right-side  up." 

Of  the  proverbs,  the  following  are  quite  characteristic. 

"  To  do  nothing,  is  the  way  to  he  nothing." 
"  Leisure  is  time  for  doing  something  useful." 
"  The  careless  man  is  seldom  fortunate." 

"  Would  you  have  a  faithful  servant,  and  one  that  suits  you,  serve  yourself." 
"  If  you  will  not  hear  reason,  she  -will  rap  your  knuckles." 
"  A  dead  fish  can  swim  with  the  stream,  but  a  li\ing  one  only  can  swim 
against  it." 

"  He  who  marries  for  money,  buys  money  too  dear." 

"  Great  minds  are  always  candid." 

"  Common  sense  is  the  best  sense  in  the  world." 

*'  Many  things  can  be  proved  by  facts,  that  never  happened." 


16 

"  Whoever  does  not  feel  himself  to  be  a  sinner,  cannot  be  a  Christian." 
"  We  can  enjoy  nothing  but  what  God  is  pleased  to  give  us." 
"  We  can  lose  notliing  but  what  he  sees  fit  to  take  away." 
"  We  can  suffer  nothing  but  wliat  he  lays  upon  us." 

"  Finally  :  Dr.  Witherspoon  said,  in  the  conclusion  of  one  of  his  sermons, 
delivered  in  the  summer  of  1785,  in  my  hecwinff,  to  the  best  of  my  recollection  : 
'  Almost  to  hit  the  mark,  is  really  to  miss  it.  Almost  to  be  a  saint,  is  to  be  an 
unconverted  sinner  ;  and  almost  to  obtain  salvation,  is  to  drop  into  hell  and 
be  miserable  forever.' " 

It  was  a  frequent  saying  of  Mr.  Howe,  that  two  crimes  are  invariably  fol- 
lowed by  the  curse  of  God  in  this  life,  namely  ;  that  of  "  deceiving,  in  the 
promise  of  marriage  ;  and  that  of  treating  parents  cruelly,  when  poor,  old, 
and  feeble." 

The  church  of  Hopkinton  remained  united  in  doctrine  during  his  ministry  ; 
and  "  always  governed,"  as  he  quaintly  remarked,  "  its  members ;  and  not 
the  individual  members,  the  church."  The  whole  number  of  persons  admitted 
to  it,  under  him,  was  245;  and  the  number  excommunicated,  13.  It  was 
a  maxim  with  him,  that  churches  are  more  in  danger  of  becoming  too  large, 
than  too  small ;  and  he  therefore  always  exercised  great  caution  and  dis- 
crimination in  regard  to  the  admission  of  new  members. 

As  a  preacher,  Mr.  Howe  was  unaffected,  plain,  and  impressive.  His 
sermons  were  often  composed  during  the  toil  of  the  day,  and  committed  to 
paper  after  his  family  had  retired  to  rest  at  night ;  and  though,  for  tliis  reason, 
sometimes  wanting  in  respect  to  style,  they  always  contained  important 
thought  and  sound  divinity,  and  were  so  constructed  as  to  be  easily  retained 
in  memory.  He  never  aspired  to  be  eloquent  or  fine,  but  to  be  useful ;  he 
knew  his  "  vein,"  and  had  the  wit  to  follow  it.  Though  not  what  in  fashion- 
able language  would  be  called  a  "  great  preacher,"  he  was  certainly  an 
original  and  effective  one.  Li  prayer,  his  language  was  remarkably  fervent 
and  appropriate  to  the  occasion.  He  was,  indeed,  in  the  words  of  Cowper,  in 
all  the  business  of  his  sacred  office, 

" simple,  grave,  sincere  ; 


In  doctrine  uncorrupt ;  in  language  plain, 

And  plain  in  manner  ;  decent,  solemn,  chaste, 

And  natural  in  gesture  ;  much  impressed  • 

Himself,  as  conscious  of  his  awful  charge, 

And  anxious  mainly  that  the  flock  he  fed 

Might  feel  it  too  ;  affeclionate  in  look, 

And  tender  in  address,  as  well  becomes 

A  messenger  of  grace  to  guilty  men." 

His  system  of  religious  faith  is  given  in  his  "  Century  Sermon  ;"  and  cor- 
responds in  general  with  that  of  Dr.  Emmons  and  of  the  other  members  of 
the  Mendon  Association  of  ministers  of  his  day.    He  was  decidedly  opposed 


17 

to  all  "  new  measures"  and  innovations  in  theology,  as  being  at  variance  with 
the  spirit  and  simplicity  of  the  gospel.  Nothing  answered  to  his  ideas  of  true 
religion  but  such  affections  of  the  heart  as  resulted  in  a  good  life. 

Perhaps  no  man  ever  practised  more  scrupulously  what  he  taught,  than 
Mr.  Howe.  His  life  was  a  running  comment  on  his  doctrine,  flowing  from  it 
as  a  river  from  its  fountain-head. 

"  He  was  a  man  among  the  few, 
Sincere  on  Virtue's  side  ; 
And  all  liis  strength  from  Scripture  drew, 
To  hourly  use  applied." 

He  was  frequent  in  his  visits  to  the  widow,  the  fatherless,  and  the  unfor- 
tunate ;  and  he  usually  took  with  him,  as  he  went,  some  substantial  tokens  of 
his  sympathy. 

His  charities  were  bestowed  discriminately,  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to 
fulfil  the  gospel  injunction,  "  Let  not  thy  left  hand  know  what  thy  right  hand 
doeth."  He  is  known  to  have  risen  and  carried  provision  to  the  poor  by 
night,  in  order  that  he  might  "  not  be  seen  of  men." 

Passing  the  house  of  a  parishioner  one  day,  who  had  been  reduced  from 
affluence  to  poverty,  and  seeing  but  one  stick  of  wood  at  the  door,  he  went 
immediately  to  his  wood-lot  and  returned  with  a  load  of  wood,  wliich  he  told 
the  woman  he  had  come  to  sell  to  her.  "  I  have  no  money,"  said  she,  "  to 
pay  for  it."  "  I  do  not  ask  but  one  cent  for  it,"  replied  Mr.  Howe  ;  and 
exacting  this,  he  unloaded  the  wood  at  her  door  and  departed. 

Many  and  many  a  time  has  the  sick  man,  whose  means  of  support  had  been 
exhausted,  and  who  knew  not  whence  the  next  dinner  for  his  "  little  ones" 
was  to  come,  had  his  eye  moistened,  and  his  heart  cheered,  by  a  timely  visit 
from  Mr.  Howe  and  his  excellent  lady,  bringing  with  them  various  articles  of 
food  and  raiment  to  replenish  his  empty  store. 

After  supplying  a  poor  family  with  two  loads  of  wood  one  winter,  he 
brought  a  third,  and  leaving  it  at  some  distance  from  the  house,  desired  them 
to  use  it,  if  they  needed  it,  but  if  not,  to  let  it  remain.  Seeing  at  length  that 
it  was  not  taken,  he  came  and  removed  it  to  the  door  of  another  family  who 
were  in  greater  want  of  it.  By  acts  like  these,  many  more  of  which  I 
might  relate,  he  "  improved  "  his  "  ministerial  land,"  his  "  people,"  and  his 
own  heart. 

But  wliile  he  was  thus  beneficent  towards  the  meritorious  poor,  he  was 
equally  severe  in  reproving  the  wayward  and  the  indolent. 

It  is  related,  that  a  pig  was  once  given  him  on  condition  that  he  should  tell 
the  donor  all  his  faults.  He  continued  from  time  to  time  to  do  so,  until  the 
giver  was  more  than  satisfied,  and  thinking  to  pay  back  something  in  the  same 
coin,  began  to  tell  Mr.  Howe  what  he  had  done  wrong.  "  Stop,  stop,"  said 
his  pastor,  "  you  are  too  fast ;  you  must  wait  till  /  have  given  you  a  pig,  and 
then  you  may  tell  me  my  faults." 

3 


18 

As  a  citizen,  he  was  punctual  in  the  fulfilment  of  all  his  engagements,  and 
ready  at  all  times  to  boar  his  full  proportion  of  the  burdens  of  the  town.  To 
his  public  spirit  and  liberal-minded  policy  all  will  testify ;  the  public  good, 
was  his  good  ;  the  prosperity  of  the  people,  his  chief  delight. 

As  a  husband  and  father,  he  was  uniformly  kind  and  aifectionate.  He 
trained  his  foniily  up  in  the  "  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord  ;"  and,  by 
the  well-ordered  and  systematic  arrangements  of  liis  household,  exerted  a 
most  benign  influence  upon  the  other  families  of  the  town. 

He  was  constant  in  his  friendships,  social  and  amiable  in  his  disposition, 
and  a  lover  of  good  men,  especially  of  ministers  of  the  gospel.  "  He  received 
them,"  says  one  of  them,  "  with  great  cordiality  at  his  house,  and  made  them 
welcome  to  its  hospitalities.  They  will  never  forget  the  attachment  which 
he  has  manifested  to  them,  and  the  affectionate  kindness  with  which  he  has 
uniformly  treated  them."  But  the  crowning  excellence  in  his  character  was 
his  sacred  regard  for  truth.  He  seemed,  in  the  words  of  Bishop  Berkeley, 
"  to  dedicate  his  age,  as  well  as  youth,  —  the  latter  growth,  as  well  as  the  first- 
fruits,  —  at  the  altar  of  Truth."  Of  this  noble  trait  in  his  character,  an  intimate 
acquaintance  thus  speaks  :  "  Truth  was  precious  in  his  eyes.  He  always  felt 
himself  under  obligation  to  answer  every  expectation  which  he  designedly 
raised.  Everything  like  equivocation,  deception,  or  falsehood,  he  seemed 
intuitively  to  abhor.  He  was  rightly  named  "  Nathanael,"  for  he  was  "  an 
Israelite  indeed,  in  whom  there  was  no  gude."  He  loved  the  truth,  more  than 
he  feared  the  face  of  man.  He  would  declare  the  truth  with  as  little  reserve, 
and  with  as  much  apparent  readiness  when  he  saw  its  disclosure  was  against 
Mm,  as  when  he  knew  it  would  favor  his  interest.  I  have  known  but  veiy 
few  men  who  at  aU  times,  both  in  words  and  actions,  adhered  so  strictly  to 
simple  verity,  as  Mr.  Howe.  If  he  made  an  appointment,  you  might  depend 
upon  seeing  him  at  the  place,  and  at  the  time,  unless  a  special  providence 
prevented.  When  he  made  a  statement  of  facts,  you  might  rest  assured 
that  there  was  no  intentional  exaggeration,  or  concealment.  If  he  made  a 
contract  with  you,  or  gave  you  his  word  on  any  subject  whatever,  you  might 
depend  upon  its  timely  and  faithful  fulfilment.  Every  body  that  knew  him, 
knew  that  he  would  do  and  say  what  he  thought  would  be  right,  whether  it 
was  advantageous  or  disadvantageous  to  himself;  pleasing  or  disjjleasing  to 
others.  This  is  as  great  as  it  is  a  rare  excellence  of  character.  Whatever 
may  be  thought  or  said  of  Mr.  Howe  in  other  respects,  his  love  of  truth  and 
uniform  integrity  of  character  will  never  be  forgotten,  and  never  cease  to  be 
respected." 

Such  was  the  life  and  character  of  the  Kev.  Nathanael  Howe.  That  he 
had  imperfections,  cannot  be  denied ;  but  few  men  ever  had  less  of  them. 
He  spoke  forth  his  "  word"  for  God  and  humanity  without  fear ;  he  carried  that 
"  word"  into  practice  in  his  life  ;  he  died  in  the  hope  of  glory,  and  left  a  charac- 
ter behind  him,  which  will  shine  the  brighter  as  men  shall  examine  it  the  more. 


CENTURY    SERMON, 


ADVERTISEMENT. 

The  author  had  no  reason  to  expect,  when  he  wrote  and  delivered  this  Sermon, 
that  it  would  be  requested  for  the  press.  However,  as  it  has  been  requested,  he 
consents  it  should  be  made  public :  with  this  impression  full  upon  his  mind,  that  no 
person  will  think  he  has  aimed  at  anything  more  than  truth,  impartiality,  perspicuity, 
and  precision.  As  it  may  occasion  unpleasant  feelings  in  the  minds  of  some  of  his 
people,  he  requests  them  to  consider,  that  it  is  as  suitable  to  discover  engagedness 
for  the  cause  of  truth,  as  to  go  to  law  for  the  sake  of  justice,  or  take  physic  for  the 
sake  of  health. 

The  author,  therefore,  dedicates  this  Discourse  to  the  people  of  his  charge,  with  his 
best  wishes  for  their  peace,  prosperity,  and  eternal  happiness. 

N.  B.  The  author  consents  to  a  second  edition  of  his  Century  Sermon,  to  gratify 
some  friends;  to  counteract  the  mistakes  of  the  reviewer  in  the  Evening  Gazette; 
and  to  credit  his  people  for  an  unusual  instance  of  liberality  in  giving  him  an  elegant 
suit  of  clothes,'  immediately  after  the  Sermon  was  delivered. 

KP^'The  public  are  presented  with  a  third  edition  of  this  Sermon,  because  it  has 
been  out  of  print  for  years  :  and  has  been  more  frequently  inquired  for  lately  than 
formerly. 

As  the  North  American  Review  has  been  pleased  to  take  some  notice  of  it,  and  to 
make  some  extracts  from  it ;  the  author  deems  it  no  more  than  equitable  that  he 
makes  some  extracts  from  that  Eeview. 

In  the  North  American  Review,  November  No.  1816,  we  read  as  follows :  — 

"  It  has  been  our  lot  to  read  more  polished  Sermons  than  the  present,  but  never 
one  half  so  abounding  in  plainness  and  originality.  It  is  a  unique  specimen,  and  be- 
yond all  price.  That  it  should  have  been  delivered  is  remarkable,  —  that  it  should 
have  been  printed  still  more  so  ;  particularly  as  it  was  printed  by  request  and  ded- 
icated to  the  parish,  with  affectionate  '  wishes  for  their  peace,  prosperity,  and  eternal 
happiness.'  The  text  taken  for  the  motto  in  the  title-page,  which  is  not  that  of  the 
Discourse,  is  admirably  chosen.  We  shall  make  some  extracts,  but  almost  every 
page  of  it  will  reward  a  perusal." —  H. 

iThe  amount  subscribed  for  the  "  suit  of  clothes,"  was  $67.  —  N. 


SERMON. 


ECCLESIASTES  1 : 4. 

One  generation  passeth  aw  at,  and  another  generation  cometh:  but 
the  earth  abideth  forever. 

We  live  in  a  changing  world ;  this  truth  is  evident 
from  our  text,  from  our  observation,  and  from  our 
experience. 

We  have  no  need  of  going  to  the  Bible  to  discover, 
that  one  generation  passeth  away,  and  another  genera- 
tion cometh ;  we  know  it  by  our  own  observation. 
Where  are  the  people  who  were  old,  twenty-five  years 
ago?  They  are  dead,  with  only  one  exception.  I 
remember  that  Mr.  Joseph  Cody  ^  was  an  old  man 
when  I  first  saw  him.     All  the  rest  are  dead ! 

Where  are  those  who  were  twenty-five  years  ago 
in  the  midst  of  Ufe,  active,  useful,  and  promising?  All 
who  are  living,  have  now  become  old,  and  are  draw- 
ing toward  the  grave  ;  for  the  grey  hairs  are  growing 
thick  upon  their  heads. 

Where  are  those  who  were  young  twenty-five  years 
ago  ?     They  have  come  forward  to  the  midst  of  life, 

*  Mr.  Joseph  Cody,  son  of  Isaac  Cody  aud  Hannah  Caryl,  who  were  among  the 
earliest  settlers  of  Hopkinton,  was  horn  in  1736,  and  was  consequently  fifty-five 
years  old  at  the  time  of  Mr.  Howe's  settlement  in  1791. — N. 


22 

and  fill  the  most  active,  honorable,  and  useful  stations. 
Some  of  them  are  deacons  of  the  church ;  magis- 
trates of  the  commonwealth  ;  selectmen  of  the  town  ; 
military  officers  of  various  grades ;  and  others  in 
more  private  stations,  acting  in  different  town  offices ; 
members  of  civil  society  ;  heads  of  families,  etc. 

And  what  shall  I  say  more  ?  Shall  I  say  that  more 
than  half  our  inhabitants  have  been  born  within  that 
time? 

It  now  lacks  less  than  twenty-five  days  of  twenty- 
five  years,  since  my  first  coming  to  this  place,  to  preach 
to  this  people.  At  that  time,  I  had  only  arrived  to  a 
state  of  manhood  ;  I  had  youth,  activity,  and  a  consid- 
erable share  of  sprightliness  on  my  side  ;  I  am  now 
old.  I  have  lived  to  see  more  than  half  a  century ; 
the  grey  hairs  are  growing  upon  my  head ;  the  grind- 
ers cease  because  they  are  few ;  the  keepers  of  the 
house  tremble ;  my  infirmities  indicate,  that  I  have 
but  a  few  more  years,  or  months,  or  days  to  live  ! 

Is  it  not  evident,  then,  that  we  live  in  a  changing 
world  ?  Is  it  not  evident  that  one  generation  passeth 
away,  and  another  generation  cometh :  but  the  earth 
abideth  forever  ? 

If  we  appeal  to  our  own  experience,  we  shall  find 
that  we  live  in  a  changing  world.  The  seasons  of  the 
year  are  changing.  Our  circumstances  are  changing. 
Our  relations  are  changing.  The  inhabitants  of  the 
world  are  changing.  One  generation  passeth  away, 
and  another  generation  cometh  :  but  the  earth  abideth 
forever. 

There  was  formerly  a  man  living  in  the  kingdom  of 
Great  Britain,  whose  name  was  Edward  Hopkins.^ 

'  Edward  Hopkins,  in  honor  of  whom  the  town  of  Hopkinton  received  its  name, 
was  born  in  Shrewsbury,  England,  a.  d.  1600. 
He  was  bred  a  merchant,  and  married  the  daughter  of  Theophilus  Eaton,  Esq., 


23 

This  man  was  not  one  of  those  ignorant,  selfish,  nar- 
row-contracted souls,  who  could  think  of  nothing  but 
himself]  his  family,  and  friends.  He  could  think  of 
America ;  an  infant  country,  though  it  was  three 
thousand  miles  distant.  He  could  think  of  the  bene- 
fits of  education.  His  enlarged  mind  took  into  view 
the  difficulties  of  educating  youth,  in  an  infant  coun- 
try, to  fill  important  stations  in  church  and  state. 

In  the  year  1636,  the  General  Court  granted  £400 
to  erect  a  college  within  the  commonwealth.  The 
next  year  they  voted  that  the  college  should  be  erected 
in  that  part  of  Newtown,  which  is  now  Cambridge. 
The  year  following  they  decreed  that  the  college 
should  be  called  Harvard  College,  in  honor  of  the 
Rev.  John  Harvard,  who  had  bequeathed  his  library 
and  upwards  of  £700  for  the  benefit  of  the  college. 

In  the  year  1642,  the  General  Court  established  a 
Board  of  Overseers.  In  1650,  the  charter  of  the 
corporation  was  granted.  And  in  the  year  1657, 
Edward  Hopkins,  Esq.  made  his  will. 

The  Father  of  spirits  had  not  only  endowed  'Squire 

with  whom-he  removed  to  New  England,  in  1637.  He  was  made  governor  of  Con- 
necticut every  other  year,  from  1640  to  1654;  after  which  he  returned  to  England, 
and  was  chosen  commissioner  of  the  admiralty,  and  navy ;  and  also  member  of 
parliament. 

He  died  at  London,  in  16.57,  leaving  a  will,  in  which  he  ordered  that  £500  of  his 
estate  in  England  should  be  remitted  to  New  England,  within  six  months  after  the 
death  of  his  wife,  Anna;  and  which,  as  he  expresses  it,  "is  in  the  simplicity  of  my 
heart  for  the  upholding  and  promoting  of  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord  Jesus  in  those 
parts." 

Anna  Hopkins,  died  in  December,  1G98,  and  the  donation  of  £500,  together  with 
the  interest  thereon,  was  by  a  decree  in  chancery  (1710)  ordered  to  be  laid  out  in  a 
purchase  of  land  in  New  England. 

Pursuant  to  this  decree,  the  trustees  of  the  donation  laid  out  £800  in  the  purchase 
of  the  land  which  now.  for  the  most  part,  constitutes  the  towns  of  Hopkinton  and 
Ashland. 

The  tract  of  land  formerly  occupied  by  the  "  praying  Lidians,"  and  called  "  'Ma- 
gunco,"  embraced,  according  to  an  old  chart,  1,152  acres,  and  was  purchased  of  the 
Indians  in  1710  or  1711.  The  remainder  of  the  town  was  obtained  by  grant  of  the 
•roneral  court-  —  N. 


24 

Hopkins  with  an  enlarged  mind,  but  he  had  given  him 
a  great  estate  ;  and  what  was  of  vastly  more  impor- 
tance, he  had  given  him  a  benevolent  heart. 

'Squire  Hopkins  was  a  man  of  great  weaUh ;  his 
estate  was  estimated  at  d£20,000  sterling ;    equal  in 
vakie  to  $88,888  88.     Eight  hundred  pounds  sterling 
of  this  property  was  given  to  be  laid  out  in  lands,  three 
fourths  for  the  benefit  of  the  college,  and  one  fourth 
for  the  benefit  of  the  Grammar  school  in  Cambridge. 
That  is  to  say,  $2,666  66  were  given  to  the  college, 
and  $888  88  to  the  Grammar  school  in  Cambridge. 
This  was  given  "for  the  breeding  up  of  youth  in  the 
way  of  learning,  for  the  pubUc  service  of  the  country 
in  future  times."  —  "  For  the  upholding  and  propagat- 
ing of  the  kingdom  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ."     These 
are  expressions  taken  from  the  will  of  Edward  Hop- 
kins, Esq.     In  the  year  1710,  it  was  ordered  that  this 
money  should  be  laid  out  in  lands.     This  donation  of 
'Squire  Hopkins  to  Harvard  College  was  the  money 
which  first  purchased  Hopkinton,  which  in  its  original 
state  contained  what  is  now  called  Hopkinton,  about 
three    thousand   acres  of  Upton,   and   five    hundred 
acres  of  Holliston.     The  lands  began  to  be  settled 
between  1710,  and  1712.'    On  the  13th  day  of  Decem- 

•  Although  the  act  of  incorporation  was  passed  in  1715,  the  inhabitants  did  not 
late  upon  themselves  the  "  powers  and  privileges  "  of  a  town,  until  Maich  25, 
1724,  0.  S.,  when  the  government  was  organized  by  the  choice  of  the  following 
officers,  namely,  John  How,  John  Wood,  Henry  Mellen,  Joseph  Haven,  and  James 
Collar,  Selectmen;  John  How,  Town  Clerk;  Elnathan  Allen,  Treasurer;  Samuel 
Watkins  and  Benjamin  Burnap,  Constables. 

The  town  was  first  represented  in  General  Court  by  Captain  (afterwards  Col- 
onel) John  Jones,  in  1735,  who  continued  to  be  sent  as  representative  until  1767, 
when  Captain  Joseph  Mellen  was  elected. 

A  plantation  eastward  of  "  Magunco  Hill,"  containing  631  acres,  surveyed  for 
Savill  Simpson,  cordwainer,  Boston,  in  1689,  (the  original  plat  of  which  is  in  my 
possession,)  is  probably  the  first  tract  of  land  taken  up  and  occupied  as  a  farm  in 
the  town. 

This  land  afterwards  came  into  the  possession  of  Colonel  John  Jones,  who  mar- 
ried Hannah,  daughter  of  Savill  Simpson,  and  thence  into  the  hands  of  their  son, 


25 

ber,  (old  style,)  which,  according  to  the  present  mode 
of  reckoning,  brings  it  to  the  24th  day  of  December, 
1715,  this  town  was  incorporated.  This  day,  there- 
fore, is  the  beginning  of  a  new  century  to  the  inhabi- 
tants of  this  place. 

As  the  town  was  purchased  by  the  donation  of 
'Squire  Hopkins  to  Harvard  College,  the  lands  were 
to  be  leased  out  to  tenants,  at  one  penny  sterling  per 
acre,  to  be  paid  annually  to  the  college  to  the  year 
1823,  and  threepence  of  like  money  afterwards. 
Twelve  thousand  five  hundred  acres  were  to  be  leased 
out  to  tenants  ;  the  residue  to  be  common  land,^  to  be 
divided  among  the  tenants  to  enable  them  the  better 
to  pay  the  quitrents  ;  and  moreover,  the  tenants  were 
to  pay  a  province  tax,  for  what  they  were  worth, 
above  the  rents  reserved. 

It  is  natural  to  suppose  these  considerations  would 
lead  many  people  in  indigent  circumstances  to  come, 
and  to  settle  here ;  the  town,  therefore,  increased 
rapidly  in  population  for  a  number  of  years. 

May  21,  1723.  The  town  "  voted  to  have  preaching 
constantly  on  the  Sabbath."  May  20,  1724,  they  voted 
to  give  Mr.  Barrett  "  sixty  pounds,  in  day-labor,  oxen's 
work,  boards,  shingles,  clapboards,  shtwork,  and  other 
materials  to  build  him  a  house,2  and  if  not  paid  in 
those  articles  to  be  paid  in  money."  The  same  day 
they  voted  to  give  Mr.  Barrett  ^£35,  in  addition  to  the 
cutting  and  carting  his  firewood  for  three  years ;  and 
£70  afterwards,  with  the  cutting  and  carting  his  fire- 

Col.  John  Jones,  one  of  whose  daughters  was  the  wife  of  the  Eev.  Mr.  Howe.  It  is 
believed  that  "  White  Hall "  and  "  Rockwood's  Farm  "  were  the  next  places  occu- 
pied. —  N. 

1  The  "  common  land  "  was  then  estimated  at  about  10,000  acres,  exclusive  of  the 
"  cedar  swamps,"  and  was  to  be  divided  among  the  tenants  in  proportion  to  the  num- 
ber of  acres  each  had  rented.  —  N. 

"  June  30,  1724.  The  trustees  of  Hopkins's  donation  voted  £30  to  Mr.  Barrett, 
"  towards  building  his  house  upon  his  own  land."  —  N. 

4 


26 

wood,  to  be  his  annual  salary  during  his  ministry.  On 
the  2d  day  of  September  following,  a  Congregational 
church  ^  was  gathered,  consisting  of  fifteen  members. 
Their  names  were,  Samuel  Barrett,  Samuel  Wadkins, 
William  Montgomery,  Robert  Hamilton,  Samuel 
Wark,  Benjamin  Burnap,  Robert  Cook,  Elnathan 
'Allen,  John  Wood,  Joseph  Haven,  Robert  Huston, 
WiUiam  Dunaghoi,  Patrick  Hamilton,  Obediah  Allen, 
and  Jacob  Gibbs.  These  were  the  only  members  of 
the  church  when  it  was  formed.  The  same  day,  the 
Rev.  Samuel  Barrett,  a  native  of  Boston,  who  grad- 
uated at  Harvard  College  in  1721,  was  ordained 
pastor  of  said  church.     This  was  at  a  period  of  our 

^  The  meetings  of  the  Church  were  held  at  the  house  of  Mr.  John  How,  at  which 
place  Mr.  Barrett  was  ordained,  and  continued  to  preach,  until  "  the  meeting-house  " 
was  erected. 

Those  who  have  with  the  writer,  occupied  "  seats  "  in  that  venerable  "  meeting- 
house," will  pardon  him  for  introducing  here  a  few  extracts  from  the  town  record, 
touching  the  history  of  a  building,  around  which  his  "  earliest,  fondest,  memories 
cling." 

Immediately  after  the  formation  of  the  Church,  measures  were  taken  by  the  town 
to  provide  a  suitable  place  for  public  worship,  and  at  a  meeting  held  January  5, 
1724-.5  (old  style),  a  committee  was  chosen  "to  provide  ye  timber  for  ye  meeting- 
house, and  to  frame  it,  improving  ye  people  of  ye  town,  to  work  out  their  rates."  It 
was  also  voted,  that  "  the  house  shall  be  48  feet  long,  38  feet  wide,  and  20  feet 
between  the  joists." 

In  June,  1725,  three  places  were  selected,  upon  which  "  to  set  ye  meeting-house," 
and,  casting  lots  thereupon,  "  it  fell  upon  that  place  south  of  ye  burying-ground." 

November  29th,  of  the  same  year,  it  was  voted  "  to  raise  ye  meeting-house  with 
spike-poles,"  and  .£10  were  granted  for  the  purpose. 

In  May,  1727,  it  was  voted,  that  "  Mr.  John  Jones'  pew  may  be  7i  feet  long,  and 
5  feet  wide,  and  that  there  should  be  a  '  ministerial  pew,'  on  the  north  side  of  the 
west  door." 

February  1,  1727-8,  voted  "  to  build  two  bodies  of  seats  on  ye  floor  of  ye  meet- 
ing-house, one  for  men,  and  ye  other  for  women." 

September  25,  1 732.  It  was  voted  "  to  seat  ye  meeting-house  by  this  year's  and 
last  year's  rate,"  and  that  "  it  is  esteemed,  ye  fore  seats  below  to  be  ye  highest  in 
dignity;  and  ye  second  seat  below  and  ye  fore  seat  in  ye  front  gallery,  equal,"  &c. 

November  1,  1751.  It  was  voted  "  to  make  a  seat  between  ye  deacon  seat  and  ye 
pulpit,  for  persons  hard  of  hearing  to  set  in." 

November  9,  1759.  Voted  "to  sundry  young  Avomen,  liberty  to  build  a  pew 
behind  the  hind  seat,  the  whole  length  of  the  women's  gallery." 

This  "  meeting-house  "  was  used  for  public  worship,  town  meetings,  &c.,  until 
1829,  when  the  present  handsome  and  commodious  building  was  erected.  —  N. 


27 

country  when  ministers  were  respected,  public  wor- 
ship attended,  family  religion  and  family  government 
were  maintained,  morality  and  piety  prevailed. 

But  in  the  course  of  a  few  years  a  dissension  took 
place  ;  a  large  number  had  been  admitted  to  commun- 
ion ;  some  of  whom  proved  themselves  unworthy  of 
their  Christian  standing. 

It  appears  on  record,  that  on  the  ninth  day  of  April, 
1731,  the  church  voted  to  comply  with  the  Cambridge 
Platform  of  church  discipline.  This  gave  great  offence. 
James  Montgomery  and  his  mother,  Robert  Cook  and 
his  wife,  William  Hinry,  Walter  Stewart,  Robert 
Huston  and  his  wife,  John  Hamilton,  Robert  Barrett, 
and  the  widow  Hamilton,  and  others,  absented  them- 
selves from  communion.  The  elders,  therefore,  were 
sent  by  the  church  to  inquire  of  these  delinquents,  the 
reasons  of  their  absenting  themselves  from  the  Lord's 
supper :  They  replied,  they  had  laid  the  matter  before 
ministers,  and  if  their  advice  was  such  as  they  could 
not  comply  with,  they  meant  to  leave  the  town. 

When  the  church  insisted  on  knowing  their  reasons, 
it  was  replied,  that  the  church  had  altered  their  mode 
of  government ;  that  they  had  received  members  from 
Framingham  without  a  dismission ;  and  that  they 
were  not  under  obligations  to  keep  covenant  with 
such  a  church.^ 

On  June  14, 1732,  Joseph  Bixby  and  Joseph  Haven 
were  ordained  to  the  office  of  ruling  elders  in  the 
church.  Also  Benjamin  Burnap  and  Henry  Mellen 
were  ordained  deacons.  On  this  occasion,  the  Rev. 
Thomas  Prince,  and  the  Rev.  John  Webb,  both  pas- 


*  Robert  Cook  said  "  that  he  desired  no  dismission  from  ye  church;  but  that  ye 
church  ought  to  ask  a  dismission  from  him."  Robert  Barrett,  and  wife,  together 
•with  several  others,  who  had  been  disaffected,  gave  "  satisfaction,"  and  returned  to 
the  church  in  January  7,  1735.  —  N. 


28 

tors  of  churches  in  the  town  of  Boston,  were  present 
and  assisted. 

This,  with  the  other  causes  before  mentioned,  led' 
part  of  the  members  of  the  church  to  separate,  and 
absent  themselves  from  communion.  These  offended 
brethren  formed  a  society,  built  a  meeting-house,^  and 
maintained  their  separation  for  a  number  of  years. 
There  is  no  account  that  they  ever  had  a  minister. 
It  is  more  than  probable,  that  they  met  together,  sung, 
prayed,  and  exhorted  one  another.  But  in  process  of 
time,  their  zeal  abated,  their  society  dwindled,  their 
meeting-house  decayed,  some  died,  others  sold  and 
removed  ;  and  a  number  of  years  after  they  had  been 
admonished  and  suspended  by  the  church,  those  who 
remained  in  town  returned,  made  concessions  to  the 
church,  and  were  restored  to  their  former  standing, 
and  admitted  to  communion. 

Thus  we  see  that  this  society,  formed  by  prejudice 
and  passion,  when  the  fever  of  the  moment  had 
abated,  sunk  and  disappeared. 

This  difficulty,  however,  which  originated  in  the 
year  1731,  was  not  completely  settled  till  the  year 
1738. 

As  the  Rev.  Samuel  Barrett's  ministry  was  lengthy, 
honorable,  and  successful,  I  shall  divide  it  into  five 
different  periods  of  ten  years  each,  except  the  last, 
which  was  about  eight  years  and  three  months. 

In  the  first  ten  years  of  his  ministry,  there  were 
146  admitted  to  full  communion ;  ^  58  owned  the  cov- 
enant ;  206  received  the  ordinance  of  baptism ;  and 
41  couples  were  joined  in  marriage. 


'  This  meeting-house  stood  near  the  dwelling-house  of  Walter  McFarland, 
Esq.  — N. 

*  The  first  person  admitted  into  full  communion  with  the  church,  was  Mrs. 
Martha  Gibbs,  October  25, 1724.    She  died  April  29,  1747,  aged  43.  —  N. 


29 

In  the  second  ten  years  of  his  ministry  there  was 
a  difficulty  existing  between  this  church  and  the 
churches  of  Framingham  and  Shrewsbury,  respecting 
the  admission  of  members  from  those  churches  who 
had  not  been  regularly  recommended  and  dismissed. 
After  repeated  exertions  to  settle  it,  a  council  was 
called,  consisting  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Cheever  of  Rumney- 
3Iarsh,^  Rev.  Mr.  Moody  of  York,  Rev.  Mr.  Wise  of 
Berwick,  Rev.  Mr.  White  of  Gloucester,  Rev.  Messrs. 
Thatcher,  Webb,  Dr.  Sewall,  Prince,  Gee,  and  Mather, 
pastors  of  churches  in  the  town  of  Boston,  with  their 
delegates. 

The  25th  day  of  June,  1735,  was  appointed  for  the 
council  to  meet.  When  it  was  ascertained  that  this 
large,  learned,  and  venerable  ecclesiastical  council 
could  not  be  convened,  on  account  of  the  distance, 
season  of  the  year,  etc.  the  church  voted  to  strike  out 
Mr.  Moody,  Mr.  White,  and  Mr.  Wise,  and  send  to 
the  church  in  Sudbury  ;  but  the  council  were  provi- 
dentially detained  from  meeting.  The  church  then 
voted  to  send  again  to  the  same  council,  with  the 
addition  of  the  church  in  Berwick.  Voted,  That  the 
third  Wednesday  of  September  be  the  time  for  the 
council  to  meet.  Voted,  also,  to  add  Mr.  Moody,  and 
his  son  from  York,  to  the  council. 

This  ecclesiastical  council  convened  at  the  time 
and  place,  and  after  mature  consideration  of  the  sub- 
ject, they  resulted  in  favor  of  the  doings  of  this  church. 
The  church  voted  thanks  to  the  council,  requested  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Gee  of  Boston  to  be  present  at  the  reading 
of  the  result,  and  voted  to  comply  with  the  result  of 
the  council. 

In  this  period,  that  is,  from  Sept.  2,  1734  to  Sept. 

'Now  Chelsea.  —  H. 


30 

2,  1744,  there  were  90  admitted  to  full  communion, 
42  owned  the  covenant,  289  were  baptized,  and  44 
couples  were  joined  in  marriage. 

In  the  third  period  of  ten  years  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Barrett's  ministry,  there  were  troublous  times.  Mr. 
Wliitefield,'  Buel,  Tennant,  and  other  ministers  were 
travelUng  through  the  country,  and  preaching  with 
uncommon  animation  and  success.  No  doubt,  by 
their  doctrines,  zeal,  and  oratory,  they  did  vast  good ; 
but  like  all  other  human  beings,  they  were  imperfect, 
and  sometimes  indiscreet.  Mr.  Wliitefield  acknowl- 
edged very  freely,  the  last  time^  he  travelled  through 
the  country,  that  he  had  done  ivrong,  in  speaking 
against  the  standing  order  of  ministers  as  he  had  done 
formerly ;  that  he  should  not  have  done  it,  had  he 
been  more  acquainted  with  them.  These  animated, 
ardent  preachers,  drew  away  the  affections  of  many 
people  from  their  own  ministers. 

At  this  time  Mr.  Barrett,  for  a  season,  lost  the  confi- 
dence and  aflections  of  some  of  the  most  serious  and 
pious  people  in  town.  The  late  Deacon  Moses  Haven 
and  others,  absented  themselves  from  Mr.  Barrett's 
ministry,  and  joined  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Reed's  society 
in  Framingham  ;  sometimes  hearing  him,  and  some- 
times the  Rev.  Mr.  Frost  of  Milford :  but  when  the 
fervor  of  their  affection  abated,  they  returned  to  this 
Society,  respected  Mr.  Barrett,  lived  under  his  minis- 
try, and  were  edified.  About  this  time  the  Rev.  Roger 
Price,^  a  clergyman  of  the  Episcopalian  order,  came  to 

*  Mr.  Whitefield  preached  once  in  Hopkinton,  in  the  autumn  of  1740,  on  the 
common,  in  the  open  air;  and  in  allusion  to  Mr.  Barrett,  whom  he  held  in  great 
contempt,  he  prayed,  that  "  that  dumb  dog  might  have  power  to  bark."  —  N. 

"In  1769.— N. 

^  The  llev.  Roger  Price,  commissary  of  the  Bishop  of  London,  was  appointed 
rector  of  King's  Chapel,  Boston,  in  1729;  which  oflSce  he  held  until  1747,  when  he 
returned  to  England  in  the  "  Mermaid  man-of-war."     Sir  Henry  Trankland,  whose 


31 

this  town,  purchased  a  large  tract  of  land,  built  a 
church,  and  endowed  it  with  a  glebe  containing  one 
hundred  and  seventy  acres  ;  preached  here  about  three 
years,  and  returned  to  England.  Soon  after  this,  he 
sent  the  Rev.  Mr.  Troutbeck,'  who  officiated  here  for 
some  time,  and  then  removed.  Since  his  removal, 
there  have  been  only  a  few  solitary  instances  of  that 
mode  of  worship  for  nearly  sixty  years.^  I  have  never 
heard  but  what  the  Rev.  Mr.  Barrett  and  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Price  lived  in  great  harmony,  though  they  were  of  dif- 
ferent religious  denominations,  and  lived  within  a  few 
rods  of  each  other.  And  we  have  the  more  reason  to 
believe  this,  from  the  circumstance,  that  the  descend- 
ants of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Price  have  been  unusually  kind 
and  beneficent  to  the  descendants  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Barrett.  During  this  period,  that  is,  from  Sept.  2, 
1744  to  Sept.  2,  1754,  26  were  admitted  to  full  com- 
numion,  43  owned  the  covenant,  288  were  baptized, 
and  44  couples  were  joined  in  marriage. 

In  the  fourth  period  of  ten  years  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Barrett's  ministry,  that  is,  from  Sept.  2,  1754  to  Sept. 
2,  1764,  the  state  of  this  people  was  more  tranquil 
and  happy.  Mr.  Barrett's  character  was  established, 
his  wisdom  had  been  manifested,  and  his  stability  was 
undoubted.  He  had  sustained  the  office  of  a  gospel 
minister  for  thirty  years.  He  had  stood  firm  and  un- 
shaken through  times  of  violence,  intrigue,  and  faction. 
Neither  contention,  nor  division,  nor  separation,  could 
divert  him  from  his  course.     Mr.  Barrett  was  not  an 

romantic  history  would  make  an  entertaining  volume,  built  a  Manor-house  in  Hop- 
kinton,  about  tlie  middle  of  the  last  century  :  and,  together  with  a  few  other  church- 
men, sustained  the  Rev.  Mr.  Price  in  his  endeavors  to  establish  an  Episcopal  church 
in  the  town.  —  N. 

'  Appointed  assistant  rector  of  King's  Chapel  in  1755,  which  office  he  held  until 
1776.     Vide  Greenwood's  History  of  King's  Chapel.  —  N. 

^  Some  years  since,  a  new  church  was  erected,  and  public  worship  is  attended 
some  part  of  the  time.  —  H. 


32 

animated  preacher,  but  he  was  sensible,  orthodox,  and 
exemplary.  The  Historical  Society  of  Massachusetts 
have  published  his  character  as  follows :  "  He  was  a 
pious,  good  Christian,  a  man  of  great  candor,  and  good- 
nature." This  appears  to  me,  in  some  measure,  to 
fall  short  of  his  real  excellence  ;  they  might  have 
added,  a  man  of  great  stability  and  perseverance. i 

In  this  period,  he  admitted  31  persons  to  full  com- 
munion, 72  owned  the  covenant,  337  were  baptized, 
and  70  couples  were  joined  in  marriage. 

In  the  last  period  of  the  Eev.  Mr.  Barrett's  ministry, 
which  consisted  of  eight  years  and  three  months,  his 
activity  abated ;  his  faculties  were  diminished  ;  but  in 
this  period  he  admitted  15  persons  to  full  communion, 
32  owned  the  covenant,  193  were  baptized,  52  couples 
were  joined  in  marriage,  but  we  have  no  account  of 
deaths. 

Mr.  Barrett  called  a  church  meeting,  Dec.  2,  1771, 
for  the  purpose  of  choosing  a  colleague  pastor  to  assist 
him  in  the  decline  of  life.  But  "by  reason  of  age  and 
infirmity,"  as  the  records  state,  he  was  unable  to  pre- 
side at  said  meeting;  however,  the  church  proceeded, 
and  unanimously  made  choice  of  Mr.  Elijah  Fitch  for 
a  colleague  pastor.  On  the  15th  day  of  January  1772, 
the  Rev.  Elijah  Fitch  was  ordained ;  and  on  the  11th 


'The  Rev.  Samuel  Barrett  was  born  in  Boston,  a.  t>.  1700,  and  died  Dec.  11, 
1772,  aged  72.  His  wife,  Anna,  died  Oct.  19,  1771,  aged  69.  Samuel,  tlieir  only 
child,  was  born  in  1726,  was  married  to  Mary  Caswell,  Feb.  9,  1758,  and  died,  March 
10,  1800,  leaving  two  children,  John,  born  1759,  and  Anna,  in  1761.  Anna  was 
married  to  Thomas  Freeland,  Jr.,  in  1781.  John  was  a  good  classical  scholar,  and 
was  by  pi'ofession  what  might  be  termed  an  "  itinerating  schoolmaster."  Although 
wayward  and  eccentric  in  his  habits,  his  skill  as  a  teacher  was  such  as  to  procure 
him  pupils  wherever  he  went.  He  is  the  author  of  an  English  grammai-.  which 
has  at  least  the  merit  of  originality.  There  is  a  very  humorous  "critique,"  by  Ed- 
ward Everett,  on  this  grammar,  in  one  of  the  early  numbers  of  the  North  American 
Review. 

Mr.  John  Barrett  died  April  4,  1821,  aged  62,  leaving  two  children,  Orlando 
and  Clarissa,  both  of  whom  are  still  living.  —  N. 


33 

of  the  December  following,  the  Rev.  Samuel  Barrett 
died,  in  the  seventy-second  year  of  his  age,  and  the 
forty-ninth  year  of  his  ministry.  Thus  he  died,  like 
God's  ancient  and  faithful  servant  Job,  "being  old  and 
full  of  days." 

As  the  trustees  of  Hopkins's  donation  to  Harvard 
College  gave  Mr.  Barrett  one  hundred  acres  of  land, 
adjoining  this  meeting-house,  for  his  own  personal  use 
and  behoof  forever,  because  he  was  the  first  minister ; 
so  also  they  gave  him  another  hundred  acres  of  land, 
which  was  given  to  him,  his  heirs,  assigns,  and  suc- 
cessors; which  is  called  the  ministerial  land,i  and  is 
now  in  my  possession.  As  Mr.  Barrett  lived  at  a  time 
when  black  people  were  slaves,^  and  had  them  for 
servants ;  and  besides  this,  had  in  Boston  wealthy  and 
benevolent  connections,  by  whose  liberality  he  was 
furnished  with  such  things  as  he  needed ;  and  in 
addition  to  this,  had  £70,  with  the  cutting  and  carting 
his  firewood,  for  his  annual  salary ;  we  have  reason 
to  believe  he  had  a  comfortable  support,  though  the 
people  were  generally  poor.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Barrett  left 
but  one  child,  a  son,  who  departed  this  life  March  10, 
1800,  who  was  exemplary,  industrious,  and  inoffensive. 

The  Rev.  Ehjah  Fitch  was  ordained,  as  we  have 
before  said,  on  the  15th  day  of  January,  1772;  almost 
eleven  months  before  the  death  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bar- 
rett. Mr.  Fitch  was  a  native  of  Connecticut ;  born  in 
the  town  of  Windham ;   educated  at  Yale  College  ; 

'  The  original  vote  of  the  trustees  stands  recorded  thus  :  — 

Feb.  5,  1711,  Voted,  "  To  lay  out  100  acres  of  land  for  the  ministry  in  such  con- 
venient place  and  manner  as  they  shall  find  most  suitable  for  that  use."  Voted 
"  that  a  hundred  acres  of  land  shall  be  laid  out  for  the  first  minister  that  shall  be  or- 
dained and  settled  in  the  town,  to  be  for  him  and  his  heirs  for  the  term  of  99  years 
from  the  25th  of  March  Uist  past,  free  from  pay  in";  any  rent,"  and ''also  that  100 
acres  shall  be  laid  out  for  the  school,  for  a  training-field,  and  burying-yard."  —  N. 

^The  whole  number  of  negro  slaves  in  Hopkinton,  in  the  year  1755,  sixteen  years 
of  age  and  upwards,  was  fifteen-  —  N. 

5 


34 

graduated  in  the  year  1765.  He  was  a  man  of  great 
powers  of  mind.  He  possessed  a  sound  judgment. 
He  was  somewliat  reserved  in  mixed  companies,  but 
in  the  pulpit  he  was  remarkably  eloquent.  He  was 
unassuming;  a  man  of  meekness  and  candor;  a  man 
of  humility  and  benevolence;  he  was  patient,  indus- 
trious, and  persevering.  His  life  was  spent  in  one 
continual  series  of  exertion  for  the  good  of  his  church, 
people,  and  family.  Perhaps  no  man,  with  his  advan- 
tages and  income,  could  have  left  his  family  in  better 
circumstances  than  he  did. 

Mr.  Fitch  was  not  rigid  in  his  rehgious  opinions ;  he 
was  considered  a  moderate  Calvinist.  He  was  re- 
spected by  his  own  people,  and  esteemed  by  the  neigh- 
boring religious  societies.  During  his  ministry,  which 
lacked  one  month  of  seventeen  years,  he  admitted  37 
persons  to  full  communion,  100  owned  the  covenant, 
422  were  baptized,  189  couples  were  joined  in  mar- 
riage, and  in  this  time  there  were  316  deaths.  In  the 
first  year  of  Mr.  Fitch's  ministry  there  were  39  deaths; 
20  of  them  were  occasioned  by  the  canker. 

In  the  year  1775,  when  the  army  lay  in  and  about 
Cambridge,  there  were  45  deaths ;  29  of  these  were 
occasioned  by  the  dysentery.  This  was  probably  the 
greatest  mortality  that  has  taken  place  in  any  one 
year  since  the  town  was  settled.  In  the  year  1788 
there  were  only  ten  deaths;  the  Rev.  Elijah  Fitch 
was  the  last  of  that  number. 

When  the  town  voted  to  concur  with  the  church  in 
giving  Mr.  Fitch  a  call  to  settle  with  them  in  the  min- 
istry, they  gave  him  $  444,44  for  his  settlement,  and 
$200  annually  for  his  salary.  This  was  at  a  time 
when  provisions  were  low,  land  was  cheap,  labor 
easily  obtained,  and  at  a  moderate  price.  Within 
three  years  of  this  time,  paper  money  was  emitted, 


35 

and  it  depreciated  from  one  degree  to  another,  till  Mr. 
Fitch's  salary,  for  a  year,  would  only  pay  a  common 
hired  man  for  six  months'  labor.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Fitch 
was  liberally  educated, —  regularly  introduced  into  the 
ministry,  —  necessitated  to  keep  an  horse  to  enable 
him  to  discharge  the  duties  of  his  office,  to  attend  fu- 
nerals, visit  the  sick,  etc.,  to  board  his  hired  man,  and 
himself,  and  then  his  whole  salary,  for  a  year,  would 
only  pay  a  hired  man  for  six  months'  labor! ! 

Are  there  no  bounds  to  oppression,  injustice,  and 
cruelty?  I  confess  for  myself  I  know  of  none.  This 
was  in  the  time  of  the  revolutionary  war,  when  our 
liberties  were  in  danger,  and  our  country  in  distress; 
but  after  the  peace,  the  town  had  so  much  sense  of 
honor  and  duty,  as  to  raise  Mr.  Fitch's  salary  from 
£60  to  £70  lawful  money,  and  that  continued  to  be 
his  salary  while  he  lived. 

But  after  Mr.  Fitch's  death,  the  town  had  so  little 
compassion  on  the  widow  and  fatherless,  that  they 
took  the  ministerial  land  into  their  own  hands,  without 
any  lawful  right,  and  applied  the  profits  of  that  to  their 
own  use,  which  was  given  by  the  trustees  of  Hopkins's 
donation  to  Harvard  College,  "to  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Barrett  and  his  successors  in  the  ministry." 

However,  Mr.  Fitch  was  not  only  an  industrious 
man  himself,  but  he  had  an  industrious  family.  He 
left  an  amiable  and  pious  widow,^  and  five  children. 
The  eldest  daughter,  who  had  professed  and  practised 
religion  while  she  was  well,  sickened  and  died  about 
five  years  after  her  father.  The  eldest  son  is  the  Rev. 
John  Fitch  of  Danville,  in  the  State  of  Vermont,  who 
has  been  minister  of  that  town  for  more  than  twenty 

*  Since  dead.     Her  maiden  name  was  Hannah  Fuller.    She  died  Feb.  7,1824, 
at  the  a":e  of  80.  —  N. 


36 

years,  and  is  now  one  of  the  most  respectable  minis- 
ters in  that  State.i 

The  eldest  daughter,  now  living,  is  with  her  mother, 
and  well  known  to  the  generality  of  this  assembly. 
The  youngest  son  is  Deacon  Elijah  Fitch,  chosen  to 
that  office  by  an  uncommon  unanimity,  having  had 
all  the  votes  except  his  own,  or  all  but  one  except  his 
own.  And  the  youngest  daughter  is  Mrs.  Betsey 
Rawson,  the  wife  of  the  Rev.  Nathanael  Rawson  of 
Hardwick,  in  the  State  of  Vermont.^ 

All  amiable  characters,  all  professors  of  religion,  all 
of  one  denomination,  adorning  their  profession  by  a 
pious  life. 

Whose  descendants  can  vie  with  the  descendants 
of  the  Rev.  Elijah  Fitch? 

It  is  true,  the  family  were  never  wealthy,  but  they 
have  always  been  respected.  Such  was  the  rise,  prog- 
ress, character,  and  success,  and  such  the  descendants, 
of  the  Rev.  Elijah  Fitch. 

In  the  former  part  of  his  ministry  he  enjoyed  good 
health,  and  an  uncommon  share  of  activity ;  but  two 
years  before  his  death,  he  was  unwell  and  unable  to 
preach  through  the  winter.  In  the  spring,  he  recov- 
ered partially,  was  able  and  continued  to  preach  till 
the  April  preceding  his  death.  The  Rev.  Elijah  Fitch 
lived  beloved  and  died  lamented  by  his  numerous 
acquaintance  and  friends.  He  departed  this  life  Dec. 
16,  1788,  in  the  forty-third  year  of  his  age,  and  seven- 
teenth year  of  his  ministry.^ 

Thus  we  see  "  one  generation  passeth  away,  and 

'  He  has  since  been  dismissed.  —  H. 

^  Since  dead.  —  H. 

^  "  No  man, "  says  a  writer  speaking  of  Mr.  Fitch,  in  the  Mass.  Hist.  Coll.,  "  ever 
more  feelingly  participated  in  the  happiness  or  misery  of  his  fellow-men,  than  he;  or 
better  filled  the  several  offices  of  pastor,  husband,  parent,  friend,  neighbor,  and  towns- 
man." 

Mr.  ritch  was  a  fine  scholar  and  a  poet.    He  left  a  poem  of  several  cantos  in  blank 


37 

another  generation  cometh;"  and  passeth  away,  "but 
the  earth  abideth  forever." 

Not  only  the  ministers,  but  the  people  have  been 
dying  from  year  to  year.  In  the  40  years  last  past 
there  have  been  not  less  than  700  deaths ;  and  is  it  not 
reasonable  to  suppose  that  in  the  60  years  preceding 
there  were  as  many  deaths  as  there  have  been  in  the 
40  years  following?  Admitting  this  to  be  a  reasonable 
calculation,  we  may  conclude  there  have  been  since 
the  incorporation  of  the  town,  1,400  deaths;  which  is 
equal  to  the  number  of  our  present  inhabitants.  After 
the  funeral  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Fitch,  the  bearers  supplied 
for  a  considerable  time,  and  then  candidates  were 
employed. 

The  Rev.  Solomon  Adams  late  of  Middleton,  de- 
ceased, was  your  first  candidate.  Rev.  Joshua  Cush- 
man  late  of  Winslow,  Rev.  Stephen  Baxter  late  of 
Western,  Rev.  Pearson  Thurston  late  of  Somers- 
worth,  Rev.  Alden  Bradford,  formerly  of  Wiscasset, 
now  Secretary  of  State  for  this  Commonwealth,^  Rev. 
Gordon  Dorrance  of  Windsor,  and  a  Mr.  Stone  of 
Shrewsbury,  who  preached  here  four  Sabbaths,  the 
two  last  in  December  1790  and  the  two  first  in  Jan- 
uary 1791.  The  weather  was  unfavorable,  and  the 
travelling  bad,  and  in  no  one  of  those  Sabbaths  were 
there  so  many  as  thirty  persons  assembled  in  this 
house  to  worship  God !  ^ 

At  this  time  your  present  minister  was  engaged  to 
come  and  preach  to  this  people  as  a  candidate.     He 

verse,  entitled  the  "Beauties  of  Religion,"  which  contains  passages  of  considerable 
poetic  merit.  He  also  published  an  eloquent  sermon  on  the  war,  which  breathes  forth 
the  true  spirit  of  religious  and  civil  liberty. 

The  favorite  amusements  of  Mr.  Fitch  were  angling  and  the  chase,  in  which 
exercises  Dr  Wilson,  Maj.  Price,  and  other  gentlemen  of  that  day,  used  often  to 
engage  with  him. —  N. 

'  Late  Secretary  of  State  for  this  Commonwealth.  —  H. 

*The  town  at  this  time  contained  1,317  inhabitants.  —  N. 


38 

was  employed  by  a  committee  consisting  of  Squire 
M'Farland,  Mr.  Henry  Mellen,  and  Dr.  Stimson,  Esq. 
After  preaching  here  for  three  months,  from  the  third 
Sabbath  in  January,  then  being  absent  a  few  weeks  to 
fulfil  a  former  engagement,  he  returned  to  preach  to 
this  people,  and  on  the  May  following,  received  a 
unanimous  call  from  the  church  to  settle  as  their 
pastor.  On  May  19th  the  town  "  voted  to  concur  with 
the  church,  provided  Mr.  Howe  consents  to  admit 
children  to  baptism,  whose  parents  are  in  the  half-way 
covenant,  so  called." 

The  half-way  covenant  was  a  scheme  devised  by 
our  forefathers,  assembled  in  synod,  1662,  to  determine 
who  were  the  proper  subjects  of  baptism ;  and  they 
decided,  "  that  church  members,  who  were  admitted 
in  minority,  understanding  the  doctrine  of  faith,  and 
publicly  professing  their  assent  thereto,  not  scandalous 
in  life,  and  solemnly  owning  the  covenant  before  the 
church,  wherein  they  give  up  themselves  and  children 
to  the  Lord,  and  subject  themselves  to  the  govern- 
ment of  Christ  in  his  church,  their  children  are  to  be 
baptized." 

This  scheme  inclined  persons,  who  had  no  reason 
to  think  themselves  qualified  to  partake  of  the  Lord's 
supper,  to  make  this  kind  of  profession  and  have  their 
children  baptized.  At  this  time,  there  were  probably 
more  than  twice  the  number  who  belonged  to  the 
half-way  covenant,  than  there  were  who  belonged  to 
the  church  in  full  communion;  for  my  reverend  pre- 
decessor had  admitted  100  to  that  covenant,  and  only 
37  to  full  communion,  during  his  ministry.  This  call 
of  the  town  was  presented  by  a  large  and  respectable 
committee,  consisting  of  Dea.  Moses  Haven,  Mr.  Jacob 
Gibbs,  Col.  John  Jones,  Dea.  Stephen  Kinsman,  Mr. 
Barachias  Morse,  Col.  Nathan  Perry,  and  Maj.  Wilham 


39 

Price.  When  the  call  was  presented  and  read,  I  took 
occasion  to  observe  to  the  committee,  that  I  had  never 
been  convinced  that  the  half-way  covenant  could  be 
supported  by  Scripture,  and  I  could  not  consent  to 
baptize  in  that  way,  till  I  was  convinced ;  and  if  that 
was  a  fixed  condition  in  the  minds  of  the  town,  I  could 
give  them  an  answer  at  that  time  as  well  as  any  other. 
Mr.  Morse  inquired  if  that  was  the  only  objection  I 
had  to  settling  here?  to  which  I  answered,  it  appeared 
to  be  the  greatest.  Upon  which  it  was  proj^osed  to 
have  another  town  meeting,  and  see  what  compro- 
mise could  be  made. 

When  the  town  assembled,  I  attended,  and  when 
caUed  upon  stated,  "  That  no  difierence  in  sentiment 
respecting  the  half-way  covenant,  so  called,  should 
prevent  me  from  exchanging  with  any  of  the  regular 
gospel  ministers  in  this  neighborhood  ;  and  ahhough 
it  does  not  appear  to  me  right,  to  administer  the  ordi- 
nance of  baptism  in  that  way, —  and  I  cannot  consist- 
ently do  it  before  I  am  convinced  it  is  right,  —  yet  I 
think  I  feel  myself  disposed  to  give  other  people  the 
same  liberty,  with  respect  to  religion,  I  take  for  myself 

"Therefore,  whenever  I  exchange,  if  the  minister 
with  whom  I  exchange  thinks  he  can  conscientiously 
baptize  children  by  the  half-way  covenant,  and  those 
who  are  in  that  covenant  think  they  can  conscien- 
tionsly  offer  their  children,  I  shall  not  feel  myself 
Tinder  obligation  to  object  against  their  doing  what 
appears  to  them  to  be  right. 

"And  that  every  man  may  see  that  I  am  disposed 
to  be  fair  and  plain,  and  that  no  difficulty  may  ever 
arise  concerning  this  matter,  I  say  further,  that,  not- 
withstanding I  am  opposed  to  that  practice ;  yet,  if  the 
church  and  the  minister  with  whom  I  exchange  think 
proper  to  take  any  more  into  the  half-way  covenant,  I 


40 

shall  treat  them  in  the  same  manner  I  do  those  who 
are  ah'eady  in  that  covenant." 

This  town  meeting  was  on  July  18,  1791,  at  which 
time  the  town  voted  "to  concur  with  the  church  in 
giving  Mr.  Nathanael  Howe  a  call  to  be  their  gospel 
minister,  upon  the  proposals  Mr.  Howe  has  now  of- 
fered." 

Also,  "  voted  to  ratify  the  doings  of  the  town  on  the 
19th  of  May  last,  respecting  Mr.  Howe's  settlement 
and  salary ;"  that  was,  to  give  de200  settlement,  and 
£70^  salary,  in  addition  to  the  improvement  of  the 
ministerial  land. 

Our  pious  forefathers,  with  good  intent,  no  doubt, 
devised  the  half-way  covenant.  Being  alarmed  at  the 
declining  numbers  of  the  church,  and  the  correspond- 
ing increase  of  the  unbaptized,  depending  on  human 
wisdom  and  distrusting  the  divine  faithfulness,  this 
plan  was  devised  and  adopted:  and  when  it  was 
introduced  into  the  churches,  it  occasioned  contentions, 
divisions,  and  separations ;  as  you  may  see  by  reading 
Mather's  Magnalia.  When  it  was  discovered  that  its 
tendency  was  to  destroy  the  church; — for  if  every 
person  joined  in  that  way,  there  would  be  no  church; 
—  when  it  was  discovered  that  its  tendency  was  to 
injure  the  persons  received,  by  making  them  think 
they  had  done  their  duty,  when  they  had  not ;  and  to 
pervert  the  ordinance  of  baptism,  by  administering  it 
to  unsuitable  subjects; — it  was  opposed  both  by  min- 
isters and  churches.  And  it  occasioned  as  much 
contention  and  opposition  to  lay  it  aside,  as  to  intro- 
duce it.  That  erroneous  practice  is  now  dead  ;  only 
14  have  been  baptized  by  that  covenant  since  my 
ordination;  none  within  15  years  last  past;  and  none 
have  been  admitted  since  my  induction  to  office. 

» £70  =  $233,33.  — N. 


41 

In  the  first  year  of  my  ministry,  I  leased  a  part  of 
the  ministerial  common^  to  Maj.  Burnap,  during  my 
ministry  ;  the  said  Burnap  was  to  clear  the  land,  fence 
it,  subdue  the  bushes,  and  keep  the  fences  in  good 
repair;  on  these  conditions  I  believed  it  would  be  as 
valuable  to  my  successor,  as  to  myself  This,  how- 
ever, p^ave  great  offence.  It  occasioned  a  town  meet- 
ing, which  I  attended  ;  but  previous  to  the  town  meet- 
ing, I  had  agreed  with  Maj.  Burnap  to  rescind  the 
bargain. 

The  town  complained  that  I  was  making  an  unsuit- 
able use  of  the  ministerial  common ;  to  which  I 
rephed,  that  the  land  was  lawfully  mine,  during  my 
ministry,  for  it  was  not  given  to  the  town,  but  to  "the 
Rev.  Samuel  Barrett  and  his  successors."  I  then  com- 
plained that  the  town  had  been  inattentive  in  their 
obligations  to  me ;  not  having  paid  the  salary  they 
promised.  For  on  Nov.  2,  1792,  they  granted  my  first 
year's  salary,  which  was  almost  a  month  after  the  first 
year  expired.  And  not  one  cent  of  the  first  year's  sal- 
ary had  been  granted,  assessed,  or  paid;  and  at  that 
time  I  owed  no  man  in  town  a  single  shilling.  This 
difficulty  was  settled  on  Jan.  14,  1793,  by  my  offering 
to  relinquish  my  right  to  the  ministerial  common,  on 
the  condition,  the  town  would  pay  the  salary  on  the 
day  they  promised,  or  put  it  on  interest.  This  was  a 
good  bargain  both  for  me  and  the  town,  for  it  secured 
to  me  my  salary,  at  the  time  appointed,  which  has 
been  a  great  benefit ;  and  it  secured  to  the  town  the 
ministerial  common  land,  without  any  expense,  pro- 
vided they  punctually  fulfilled  their  obligations  to  me.a 


'  Land  originally  taken  up  by  virtue  of  possessing  the  ''  ministerial,"  which  was 
"  qiiiirenl  land."     See  ])a<ie  25  —  N. 

-  No  people  in  Massachusetts,  or  Ne\v  England,  have  been  more  punctual  in  pay- 
ing their  minister's  salary,  for  more  than  twenty  years  last  past,  than  the  people  of 
Hopkinton.  —  H. 

6 


42 

About  this  lime,  'Squire  McFarlnnd  and  Mr.  Henry 
Mellen.  two  of  our  principal  men,  left  this  Society  and 
joined  the  Methodists,  because  they  were  dissatisfied 
with  the  doctrines  here  delivered.  But  not  finding 
themselves  so  ag^reeably  situated  as  they  expected, 
they  returned  to  this  Society.  Mr.  Mellen  is  since 
dead;  and  'Squire  McFarland'  has  manifested  his 
regard  to  the  Sabbath,  and  pubUc  worship,  by  attend- 
ing very  constantly,  thou<i^h  he  has  never  approved  of 
my  religious  or  political  sentiments.2 

At  this  time,  a  brother  of  the  church  left  our  com- 
munion, and  joined  the  Methodists :  the  church  dealt 
with  him  as  an  offender,  and  seeing  he  did  not  reform, 
excommunicated  him. 

The  church  passed  a  vote  May  13,  1790,  the  year 
before  I  came  to  town,  that  if  any  should  omit  praying 
with  their  families,  or  omit  public  worship,  or  commu- 
nion, or  be  found  from  time  to  time  disguised  with 
strong  drink,  they  should  be  under  the  immediate 
admonition  of  the  church.  It  was  found  that  one 
brother  did  not  pray  with  his  family ;  he  was  dealt 
with  as  an  offender,  and  seeing  he  did  not  reform,  was 
excommunicated. 

AVhen  the  public  took  sides  upon  politics,  your  min- 
ister was  a  Federalist,  though  he  was  sensible  a  very 
great  majority  of  the  town  were  of  different  senti- 
ments. He  believed  then,  as  he  believes  now,  that  he 
ought  to  have  more  regard  to  his  country,  than  to  any 
particular  part  of  it :  and  when  he  has  occasionally 


'  Walter  McFarland,  Esq.,  was  a  gentleman  of  distincruishcd  abilities,  and  took  a 
Tery  active  part  in  the  cause  of  liberty  during  the  struggle  for  our  national  indepen- 
dence. He  was  in  the  army  at  Ticonderoga  in  1776,  was  elected  senator  to  the 
General  Court,  in  1787,  and  died  Aug.  5,  1829,  at  the  advanced  age  of  85.  His 
father  attained  the  age  of  100  years.  — N. 

'^  'S  luire  MeFarland  is  at  present  an  Episcopalian,  and  a  professed  friend  to  all 
religions.  —  H. 


43 

preached  political  sermons,  they  have  repeatedly  occa- 
sioned uncomfortable  feelings/ 

Another  difficulty  your  minister  has  had  to  encoun- 
ter, was  the  want  of  support.  Avast  change  has  taken 
place,  in  the  expenses  of  dressing  and  living  since  my 
ordination,  and  yet  no  addition  has  been  made  to  my 
salary.'^ 

When  a  candidate,  I  determined  I  would  never  set- 
tle, till  I  saw  a  reasonable  prospect  of  a  comfortable 
support ;  and  when  settled,  that  I  would  never  com- 
plain of  my  salary.  I  remained  of  this  mind,  till  I 
had  been  your  minister  for  fifteen  years. 

Borne  down  with  the  fatigues  of  manual  labor, 
pressed  into  the  woods  in  the  winter,  to  the  plough  in 
the  spring,  and  into  the  meadow  in  the  summer,  to 
support  my  family  comfortably,  and  fulfil  my  promises, 
I  felt  the  business  of  the  ministry  was  greatly  neg- 
lected ; —  that  it  was  impossible  for  me  to  do  what 
ought  to  be  done  in  my  profession,  unless  the  people 
did  more  toward  my  support. 

I  committed  my  thoughts  to  paper,  then  communi- 
cated them  to  four  brethren  of  the  church,  then  to  the 
church  as  a  body,  and  afterward  to  the  town. 

As  there  has  been  much  misunderstanding,  and 
many  misrepresentations  upon  this  matter,  •!  will  read 
it  again,  and  tlien  the  doings  of  the  town  thereon. 

"  To  the  Brethren  of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  Hopkinton. 
"  Beloved  Brethren  :  — 

"  When  you  gave  me  a  call  to  settle  with  you  in  the  gospel  ministrj',  and 
the  town  had  concurred  and  made  their  proposals,  I  took  the  matter  under 

'  The  Author  commenced  his  political  career,  wiien  Gov.  Sumner  was  chosen  to 
fill  tlie  ciiuir  of  state  [in  1797.  —  N.].  and  was  one  of  seven  in  tlie  town  of  Hopkin- 
ton. who  gave  him  their  votes,  namely,  Col  Jones,  Maj.  Price,  Ur.  Stimson,  Dr. 
Wilson,  Mr.  Barachias  Morse,  Mr.  Sui  rat;e,  and  himself.  —  H. 

^  No  addition  has  been  made  to  my  salary,  even  to  this  day,  though  it  has  been 
often  attempted,  without  my  instrumentality.  —  H. 


44 

serious  consideration.  I  considered  the  unanimity  of  the  ehurch  and  town, 
as  favorable  circumstances,  and  the  j^roposals  that  were  made  with  respect  to 
my  support,  as  reasonable,  though  not  large.  The  ministerial  land  I  was 
sensible  was  good,  though  the  state  of  cultivation  was  very  bad,  and  the  fences 
extremely  poor.  It  then  appeared  to  me,  if  I  should  be  favored  with  pros- 
perity, with  the  knowledge  I  thought  I  had  of  agriculture,  that  I  should  be 
able  to  support  a  family.  AVith  those  views  I  gave  my  answer  in  the  affirma- 
tive, was  ordained,  and  soon  had  a  family.  At  this  time  every  article  of 
provision  was  low,  labor  was  cheap,  and  my  income  Avas  sufficient  for  my  sup- 
port. But  within  two  years  from  my  ordination,  money  began  to  depreciate, 
and  the  pince  of  labor  to  rise  ;  my  salary  has  continued  depreciating  and  labor 
rising,  till  it  is  not  worth  more  than  half  what  it  was,  when  I  was  settled. 

"  I  have  always  been  sensible  of  the  difficulty  of  transacting  money  busi- 
ness with  any  people ;  and  from  tliis  Impression  have  labored  Avith  my  hands, 
to  make  proA^ision  for  my  family,  and  fulfil  my  promises  :  I  have  scarcely  eA^er 
suffered  myself  to  make  any  complaints  ;  but  I  find  at  present,  that  my 
expenses  are  Increasing,  and  my  income  decreasing.  This  has  led  me  into 
considerable  perplexity  with  respect  to  my  duty.  If  I  ask  a  dismission  and 
remove,  it  must  be  with  considerable  loss  of  property.  If  I  remain  as  I  am,  I 
see  no  reason  to  expect  any  better  times.  If  I  exert  myself  more  in  laboring 
with  my  hands,  it  must  be  disadvantageous  both  to  you,  and  me  ;  for  then  I 
must  neglect  my  professional  business.  If  I  advertise  my  house  and  land  for 
sale,  it  will  appear  precipitate.  If  I  propose  to  the  town  to  purchase  it  for 
the  next  minister,  and  ask  them  to  dismiss  me,  I  know  not  hoAv  this  will  ope- 
rate. I  do  not  wish  to  leave  the  ministry ;  but  if  I  should  ever  remove,  it  is 
full  time,  for  I  have  probably  spent  the  best  part  of  my  life  among  you. 
Fifteen  years  ago,  the  expense  of  candidate  preaching  was  four  or  five  dollars 
a  Sabbath  ;  now  it  is  eight  or  ten.  Then  the  members  of  our  General  Court 
had  one  dollar  per  day,  now  they  have  two  dollars  per  day.  A  common 
laborer  at  th^t  time,  had  $55,  or  $G0  per  year ;  now  they  have  $130,  $140, 
and  some  $150  a  year. 

"  Is  it  reasonable,  then,  for  ministers  to  be  satisfied  with  the  nominal'sum, 
when  it  is  not  Avorth  more  than  half  its  original  value  ?  I  make  no  pretence 
to  any  lawful  claim  ;  but  in  point  of  equity,  is  it  not  reasonable  ?  I  grant 
that  when  two  parties  have  made  an  agreement,  that  one  cannot  dissolve  it 
•without  the  consent  of  the  other.  I  am  sensible  it  is  very  difficult  for  us  to 
know  many  things  except  what  we  know  by  experience  ;  and,  therefore,  it  is 
very  difficult  for  any  people  to  feel  for  their  minister,  because  they  are  not 
in  his  circumstances.  Brethren,  we  have  lived  in  a  good  degree  of  harmony 
for  years  past,  Avhich  I  hope  will  never  be  interrupted.  This  Society,  per- 
haps, enjoys  as  much  harmony  at  present,  as  at  any  former  period  :  and  are 
abundantly  able  to  make  up  the  depreciation  on  my  salary,  if  they  are  so 
disposed  :  but  tliis  must  depend  entirely  on  their  choice. 


45 

"  In  these  circumstances,  brethren,  request  your  advice.  Shall  I  ask  a 
dismission  ?  Or,  shall  I  ask  to  have  the  depreciation  made  up  on  my  salary  ? 
Shall  I  ask  the  town  to  purchase  my  house  and  land  ?  Or  sliall  I  advertise 
it  in  a  public  paper  ?     Or  ought  I  to  remain  satisfied  as  I  am  ? 

"It  costs  me  this  year  $150  for  one  man's  labor,  who  cannot  do  my 
business  either  -winter  or  summer ;  and  if  I  add  to  this  sum  the  reasonable 
expense  of  his  board,  it  will  amount  to  as  much  as  the  town  pay  to  my  sup- 
port. It  will  be  said  that  the  ministerial  land  is  much  more  productive  than 
formerly  :  this  is  true  ;  but  how  comes  it  to  pass  ?  Is  it  not  in  consequence 
of  the  labor  and  expense  I  have  been  at,  to  cultivate  and  fence  it  ?  Some 
years  I  have  expended  as  much  on  the  land,  as  the  whole  of  the  income. 

"  If  it  should  be  said  I  have  other  income,  I  ask  :  Is  it  right  for  me  to 
spend  the  property  that  was  lefl  to  my  wife,  by  her  parents,  while  I  am 
preacliing  to  a  people  well  able  to  support  me  ?  When,  perhaps,  by  and  by, 
she  may  be  left  in  poverty  and  distress  ? 

"  If  a  farm  be  let  out  at  the  halves,  the  buildings  and  fences  will  soon  be 
out  of  repair,  and  the  land  impoverished.  If  all  the  labor  be  hired  to  carry 
on  a  farm,  and  pay  the  other  expenses,  the  income  to  the  owner  wiU  be  but 
small.  I  say  these  things  to  show  you  my  situation,  and  to  convince  you  that, 
should  I  ask  a  dismission  in  a  few  months,  you  ought  not  to  think  it  unreason- 
able. If  any  should  be  disposed  to  make  an  addition  to  my  salary,  on  account 
of  the  depreciation,  this  will  be  likely  to  make  difficulty  ;  the  people  will  not 
be  agreed  in  it,  and  beside,  no  addition  would  be  satisfactory,  except  it  be 
granted  to  continue,  till  such  times  as  labor  and  provisions  fall  in  their  prices 
as  low  as  when  I  was  ordained  ;  then  I  would  relinquish  it :  and  if  they  ever 
fall  below  what  they  were  then,  I  Avill  consent  to  take  less  than  £70  for  my 
salary.  I  do  not  say  these  things,  because  I  think  the  town  would  be  willing 
to  make  up  the  depreciation  in  full,  perhaps,  not  in  part.  If  they  made  up 
what  I  thought  was  equal  to  half  the  depreciation,  I  should  rest  satisfied.  As 
the  relation  between  pastor  and  church  is  quite  distinct  from  the  relation 
between  minister  and  people,  I  have  thought  it  my  duty  to  make  tliis  state- 
ment to  you,  before  anything  be  said  to  the  town,  and  to  request  your  opinion 
and  advice  upon  it.  It  is  not  my  expectation,  that  anything  should  be  done 
for  the  fifteen  years  that  are  past :  and  if  the  town  would  now  state  my  salary, 
on  labor,  corn,  rye,  cider,  butter  and  cheese,  beef  and  pork,  at  the  price  they 
bore  on  the  day  of  my  ordination,  I  would  consent  to  take  £60  for  my  salary. 
If  any  should  think  it  disadvantageous  to  the  town  for  me  to  be  dismissed 
and  remove,  they  must  know,  on  the  least  reflection,  that  it  will  probably  be 
attended  with  more  loss  to  me,  than  to  any  other  person. 

"  With  the  hope  and  expectation  that  you,  brethren,  will  be  enabled  and 
disposed  to  advise  me  in  this  case  to  what  will  be  wisest,  and  best,  I  subscribe 
myself  your  friend  and  pastor,  in  the  faith  and  fellowship  of  the  gospel. 

"  Nathanael  Howe." 


46 

Oct.  20,  1806.  This  was  read  to  Dea.  Joseph  Walker,  and  three  other 
brethren,  namely,  Benjamin  Adams,  I.  Burnap,  and  Moses  Chamberlain. 

Nov.  10,  1806.  The  church  met  at  the  request  of  their  pastor,  to  give  him 
their  advice  what  he  ought  to  do,  in  the  present  depreciated  state  of  his 
salary,  and  they  advised  him  to  ask  to  have  the  depreciation  made  up.  And 
he  observed  to  them,  that  if  that  was  their  advice,  he  would  thank  them  to 
carry  it  into  cfTcct.  They  then  voted  to  request  the  selectmen  (a  majority 
of  whom  were  present,  and  members  of  the  church)  to  call  a  town  meeting 
witliin  five  weeks,  to  see  if  the  town  will  add  fifty  per  cent,  to  the  salary,  till 
such  time  as  labor  and  provisions  fall  in  their  prices  as  low  as  when  he  was 
ordained. 

The  town  met  on  Dec.  15,  1806.  Mr.  Howe  was  called  upon  to  read  to 
the  town  the  communication  he  had  made  to  the  church.  Upon  which  the 
vote  was  put,  "  To  see  if  the  town  will  (on  account  of  the  depreciation  of 
money)  add  $116,67'  to  the  yearly  salary  of  the  Rev.  Nathanael  Howe,  till 
such  time  as  labor  and  provisions  fall  in  their  prices  as  low  as  when  he  was 
ordained."     This  passed  in  the  negative  by  a  large  majority. 

Then  Mr.  Howe  proposed  to  see  if  the  town  would  add  $116,67  till  such 
time  as  the  members  of  our  General  Court  receive  less  than  $2  per  day  for 
their  services.     This  was  negatived  by  a  large  majority. 

Then  Mr.  Howe  proposed  to  see  if  the  town  will  add  $116,67  for  seven 
years,  from  the  first  day  of  January  next.  This  passed  in  the  negative  by  a 
large  majority. 

Then  Mr.  Howe  proposed  to  see  if  the  town  will  make  up  one  half  the 
depreciation  on  his  salary  from  this  time  while  he  continues  their  minister. 
This  passed  in  the  negative  by  a  large  majority. 

Then  Mr.  Howe  proposed  to  see  if  the  town  will  in  future  give  him  $200 
for  his  annual  salary,  and  average  it  on  labor,  corn,  rye,  cider,  butter  and 
cheese,  beef  and  pork,  at  the  prices  they  bore  on  the  day  of  his  ordination. 
This  passed  in  the  negative  by  a  large  majority. 

Then  Mr.  Howe  proposed  to  see  if  the  town  will  purchase  his  house  and 
land  and  keep  it  for  the  next  minister.  This  passed  in  the  negative  by  a 
large  majority. 

Then  INIr.  Howe  proposed  to  see  if  the  town  will  request  the  church  by  a 
vote  to  grant  him  a  dismission.  This  passed  in  the  negative  by  a  large 
majority. 

Then  ]\Ir.  Howe  said  he  had  but  one  proposition  more  to  make  ;  which 
was  to  see  if  the  town  were  willing  he  should  publish  the  communication  he 
had  made  to  the  church,  and  read  to  the  town  this  day,  and  all  the  doings  of 
the  town  thereon.  And  this  also  passed  in  the  negative  by  a  large  majority. 
Attest,  Ephraim  Eead,  Town  Clerk. 

1  This  is  fifty  per  cent,  of  £70.  —  N. 


47 

AVhen  my  communication  was  read  to  Dea.  Joseph 
Walker,  Maj.  Burnap,  Mr.  Benjamin  Adams,  and 
'Squire  Cliamberlain,  they  lamented  the  circumstance, 
but  thought  it  proper  to  lay  the  matter  before  the 
church  for  their  advice. 

When  it  was  read  to  the  church,  sixteen  brethren 
were  present;  fourteen  of  whom  advised  me  to  ask 
the  town  for  an  addition  to  my  salary,  and  two  were 
opposed  to  it.  And  in  town  meeting  there  were  only 
three  of  the  fourteen,  who  advised  me  to  ask  it,  who 
held  up  their  hands  in  favor  of  it ;  namely,  Dea.  Joseph 
Walker,  Major  Isaac  Burnap,  and  Mr.  Benjamin 
Adams;  and  only  three  of  the  town;  namely,  'Squire 
Stimson,  Col.  J.Valentine,  and  Mr.  Samuel  Goddard.' 

The  reason  of  my  fixing  on  that  sum,  and  not  being 
willing-  to  accept  of  less,  was  because  a  less  sum  would 
do  me  no  good.  If  I  had  an  addition  to  my  salary,  I 
must  pay  more  attention  to  the  ministry;  and  if  not,  I 
must  continue  to  supply  the  wants  of  my  family  by 
the  labor  of  my  hands.  It  was  plain  the  town  were 
unwilling  to  make  that  addition,  ahhough  it  was  only 
one  half  of  what  justice  and  equity  required  them  to 
do;  and  it  has  always  afforded  me  pleasure,  to  think 
I  had  opportunity  to  show,  I  did  not  value  an  hundred 
dollars,  as  much  as  the  people  generally  did  an  hun- 
dred cents  :  for  but  few  would  have  had  more  than 
one  dollar  annually  to  have  paid,  above  the  nominal 
sum,  to  have  furnished  me  with  as  much  as  I  needed. 
Some  have  supposed  that  the  town  did  nothing  that 
day,  because  they  granted  no  money ;  but  in  this  they 
were  greatly  deceived ;  for  they  convinced  me,  I  could 
place  no  dependence  on  their  justice  and  equity;  and 

>  The  Reviewer  in  the  Evening  Gazette  made  a  mistake,  in  stating  that  the 
"author  attacked,  by  name,  the  persons  who  voted  against  an  increase  of  his  salary." 
Oa  the  contrary,  he  gave  credit,  by  name,  to  all  who  voted  in  favor  of  it.  —  H. 


48 

that  I  rnnst  take  care  of  myself,  or  perish.  This 
opened  my  eyes  in  every  direction,  and  employed  my 
hands  every  day. 

As  it  has  been  frequently  said,  that  the  town  would 
have  done  something  handsome,  had  I  not  stipulated 
the  sum  which  they  must  grant,  or  nothing,  they  have 
had  reason  since  to  think,  that  in  this  also  they  were 
greatly  deceived ;  for  when  the  town  had  a  meeting 
the  next  year,  through  the  instrumentality  of  Dea. 
Fisk,  to  show  their  benevolence,  and  their  regard  to 
justice  and  equity,  there  was  a  tie  ; — the  Moderator, 
the  late  Col.  Eames,  could  not  determine  the  vote:  the 
meeting  was  adjourned  for  two  weeks,  and  at  the 
expiration  of  that  time  there  was  a  handsome  majority 
in  favor  of  doing  nothing.^ 

You  are  sensible  that  my  health  has  sometimes 
been  poor,  and  my  mind  greatly  depressed :  poverty 
has  stared  me  in  the  face. 

My  brethren,  may  I  ask  a  question ;  a  plain, 
simple  question  ?  How  shall  I  obtain  your  consent  ? 
Shall  I  take  silence  for  consent?  Your  countenances 
discover  a  willingness. 

The  question  is  this:  Do  you  know  by  what  means 
I  have  become  so  rich,  as  to  have  a  great  house,  fin- 
ished and  furnished  ;  a  farm,  a  herd  of  cattle,  a  flock 

'  I  find  amotif^  Mr.  Howe's  loose  papers  the  following  memoranda,  drawn  up  in 
1808,  with  the  view  of  bringing  the  town  to  an  issue  in  respect  to  his  salary. 

"  The  salary  is  no  reasonable  compensation  for  the  services,  though  the  services 
are  poor. 

"  If  you  can  be  united  in  any  one  of  the  three  following  propositions,  I  will  remain 
your  minister. 

"  If  not.  I  will  take  a  dismission,  provided  a  majority  of  the  church  and  town  will 
consent  to  it. 

"  1.  I  will  remain  your  minister,  and  give  you  old  sermons  for  the  old  salary. 

"  2.  Or  I  will  attend  more  to  the  business  of  my  piofcssion  and  cease  in  a  measure 
from  manual  labor,  if  you  will  add  50  per  cent,  to  my  salary,  or, 

"  3.  If  you  will  double  the  salary,  I  will  apply  myself  wholly  to  my  professional 
business  :  and  if  it  be  in  the  power  of  my  life,  1  will  do  as  well  by  you,  as  I  have 
done  by  the  ministerial  land."  —  N. 


49 

of  sheep,  horses,  and  money  at  interest  ?  I  say  nothing 
about  my  debts  to-day.i 

Shall  I  answer  the  question  ?  The  principal  reason 
is  this  :  because  I  have  been  doing  your  business,  and 
neglecting  my  own.  What  is  your  business?  Your 
business  is  to  support  your  minister ;  and  that  is  what 
I  have  been. doing,  for  more  than  twenty  years.  And 
what  is  my  business  ?  My  business  is  to  study,  and 
preach ;  and  in  this  I  have  never  abounded.  It  is  true 
I  have  been  absent  from  public  worship  not  more  than 
four  or  five  Sabbaths,  for  twenty-five  years ;  but  I 
have  frequently  been  present,  and  attempted  to  preach, 
when  it  has  been  mortifying  to  me,  and  could  not 
have  been  edifying  to  you.  I  have  sometimes  admin- 
istered reproof,  both  to  the  church  and  the  society,  in 
a  manner  that  has  been  thought  to  discover  some 
degree  of  severity  :  but  in  these  cases  you  have  always 
had  good  sense  enough  to  know,  you  richly  deserved  it. 

My  object  in  preaching  has  been  to  explain,  defend, 
and  enforce,  what  have  appeared  to  me  the  true  doc- 
trines of  the  gospel,  God^s  decrees  ;  for  it  must  be  glad 
tidings  of  great  joy  to  all  people,  that  God  governs  the 
world; — that  his  government  is  not  only  perfect,  but 
universal,  and  lays  the  only  solid  foundation  for  fore- 
knowledge ;  for  nothing  can  be  certainly  foreknown^ 
that  is  not  fixed  in  the  Divine  decree. 

The  divinity  of  Christ.  This  lays  the  only  sohd 
foundation  for  the  sufliciency  of  the  atonement  made 
for  all  mankind, 

'  The  way  for  a  people  to  make  their  minister  rich,  is  not,  to  give  him  a  reason- 
able salary,  one  sufficient  for  his  support ;  but  a  scanty  salary,  and  try  to  starve  him 
out ;  that  will  open  his  eyes,  and  employ  his  hands. 

Solomon  says,  "  The  hand  of  the  diligent  maketh  rich."  But  if  a  people  wish  to 
have  a  good  minister,  and  faithful  to  them,  tfcey  must  be  faithful  to  him. 

It  is  granted,  that  our  cats  and  dogs  are  good  for  nothing,  except  they  are  kept 
short.    But  our  horses,  cows,  and  oxen  must  be  kept  weli  to  do  honor,  and  be 
profitable  to  their  owners. 
7 


50 

The  doctrine  of  petsonal  election  from  eternity  to 
everlasting  life,  as  the  only  doctrine  that  makes  it 
absolutely  certain  that  any  of  our  sinful  race  will  be 
saved. 

The  doctrine  of  total  depravity,  as  laying  the  only 
solid  foundation  for  regeneration. 

Regeneration  hy  the  agency  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  as 
laying  the  foundation  for  all  holy  exercises  in  the 
hearts  of  men. 

Justification  hy  faith  alone,  which  is  the  same  thing 
as  divine  forgiveness. 

The  certain  and  final  perseverance  of  the  saints, 
"through  sanctification  of  the  Spirit,  and  belief  of  the 
truth ;"  the  eternity  of  hell  torments,  and  the  duties  of 
tnorality.  I  have  always  believed  and  always  preached, 
that  a  good  life  is  the  best  evidence  of  a  good  heart. 

I  have  aimed  to  persuade  you  to  follow  Christ ;  but 
not  in  his  circumcision,  nor  in  his  keeping  the  passover, 
nor  in  his  baptism;  for  that  was  "to  fulfil  all  right- 
eousness,"—  "to  manifest  Christ  to  Israel,"  and  intro- 
duce him  into  the  ministry.     If  you  follow  Christ  in 
his  baptism,  you  must  be  baptized  without  professing 
either  faith  or  repentance.  An  innocent  person  cannot 
repent ;  —  Christ    professed   no   repentance  ;    and   it 
would  be  absurd  to  suppose  he  professed  faith  in  him- 
self    The  New  Testament  dispensation  began,  when 
the  Sabbath  was  changed  from  the  seventh  to  the  first 
day  of  the  week.     "  For  where  a  testament  is,  there 
must  also  of  necessity  be  the  death  of  the  testator." 
The  death  of  Christ  ratified  the  New  Testament,  and 
introduced  the  gospel  dispensation.      My  object  has 
been  to  persuade  you  to  follow  Christ  in  his  patience, 
in  his  meekness,  in  his  humility,  in  his  self-denial,  in 
his  forgiveness  of  injuries,  in  his  piety  to  his  Father, 
and  benevolence  to  all  mankind. 


51 

During  my  ministry  among  you,  84  persons  have 
been  admitted  to  full  communion.  There  have  been 
172  baptisms,  235  couples  have  been  joined  in  mar- 
riage, 467  deaths,  27  members  of  this  church  have 
been  recommended  to  the  watch  and  fellowship  of 
other  churches,  and  8  have  been  excommunicated.' 

Those  gentlemen  of  this  Society,  who  have  some 
years  past  extended  the  hand  of  charity,  in  equity,  for 
my  relief,  will  receive  my  gratitude. 

Those  ladies,  who  four  years  ago  presented  me 
with  an  elegant  and  costly  surplice,^  will  accept  my 
grateful  acknowledgments.  But  my  obligation  for 
that  favor,  great  as  it  was,  bears  no  comparison  with 
the  gratitude  I  feel  to  those,  who  have  expressed,  by 
their  practice,  peculiar  kindness  and  attention  to  Eliza,^ 
in  her  lengthy  and  distressing  illness ;  such  kindnesses 
cannot  be  described,  nor  repaid; — may  God  reward 
them.  If  any  have  injured  me,  whether  in  word,  or 
deed,  they  will  accept  my  forgiveness.  And  if  I  have 
injured  any,  I  have  only  to  say,  in  the  language  of  our 
Saviour  :  "  When  ye  stand  praying,  forgive,  if  ye  have 
aught  against  any ;  that  your  Father  also,  who  is  in 
heaven,  may  forgive  you  your  trespasses." 

The  Rev.  Nathanael  Howe  was  born  in  that  part  of 
the  town  of  Ipswich  which  belongs  to  Linebrook 
parish,  Oct.  6,  1764  ;  graduated  at  Harvard  College 
1786  ;  ordained  pastor  of  the  church  in  this  town,  Oct. 
5,  1791 ;  and  has  continued  in  the  ministry  for  more 
than  twenty-four  years.^ 

'July  20,  1825.  Admissions  117,  Baptisms  231,  Marriages  325,  Deaths  673 
recommended  to  other  churches  38,  Excommunicated  9.  —  H. 

^1811.     The  amount  subscribed  for  the  surplice  was  $36,58. —  N. 

'Eliza,  was  the  author's  eldest  daughter,  who  had  been  sick  of  a  consumption  for 
more  than  two  years,  and  died  the  Wednesday  following  the  delivery  of  this  sermon, 
in  the  22d  year  of  her  age.  —  H. 

*  Continued  in  the  ministry  for  upward  of  33  years.  —  H. 


52 

As  I  have  given  you  an  account  of  the  pastors  of 
this   church,   from   the   time   it  was  formed;  of  the 
number  of  admissions,  amounting  in   the  whole   to 
444  ;  of  the  baptisms,  amounting  to  1,907  ;  I  will  give 
you  an  account  of  the  deacons. 


*  Dea.  Benjamin  Burnap, 

*  Dea.  Joseph  Haven, 

*  Dea.  Ebenezer  Kimball, 

*  Dea.  Joseph  Bixby, 

*  Dea.  Henry  Mellen, 

*  Dea.  Jason  Walker, 

*  Dea.  Moses  Haven, 


*  Dea.  Stephen  Kinsman, 

*  Dea.  Joseph  Walker, 

*  Dea.  Abel  Fisk, 
Dea.  Samuel  Walker,' 
Dea.  Elijah  Fitch,2 
Dea.  James  Freeland.3 


Those  gentlemen  who  have  received  a  liberal  edu- 
cation from  this  town  are  :  — 


Rev.  Ellas  Haven,4 

graduated 

at  Harvard  University 

in  1733 

Rev.  John  MeUen,^ 

u 

u                      u 

1741 

Dr.  John  Wilson, 

(( 

u                  <; 

1741 

Rev.  Benjamin  Caryl,^ 

(( 

((                   (( 

1761 

Rev.  Moses  Adams,' 

(( 

((                   (( 

1771 

Dr.  Jonathan  Eames,^ 

u 

((                          u 

1775 

Rev.  John  Fitch,9 

<( 

Brovm  University, 

1790 

Dr.  Gilbert  Dench,'" 

a 

((                 (( 

1793 

Leonard  MeUen,  Esq.ii 

u 

Harvard  University, 

1797 

Rev.  Daniel  Loring,i2 

u 

Brown  University, 

1800 

Rev.  Josiah  Moulton,i3 

1802 

Dr.  Jeremy  Stimson,'^ 

u 

Harvard  University, 

1804 

Rev.  Isaac  Jones, 

(( 

"WiUiams  College, 

1810 

Appleton  Howe,  A.  b.i5 

(( 

Harvard  University, 

1815 

'  Dismissed  March  8,  1818.  =*  Died  April  27,  1847,  aged  68. 

'  Resigned  Nov.  14,  1830.    Samuel  Morse,  M.  L.  Buck,  and  Isaac  V.  Adams, 
have  since  been  chosen. 
''  Originally  settled  in  Franklin,  Mass. 

*  Settled  in  Sterling,  Mass.,  and  subsequently  in  Hanover,  Mass. 

*  Minister  of  Dover,  Mass.  ''  Was  settled  in  Acton,  Mass. 
^  Tutor  at  Cambridge,  and  afterwards  physician  in  HoUiston,  Mass. 

^  Settled  in  Danville,  Vt.  '"  Of  Boston. 

"  A  lawyer  at  Waterloo,  N.  Y.  ^^  Originally  settled  iit  Foxboro',  Mass. 

"  Settled  at  Oxford,  Mass.  "  Of  Dedham,  Mass. 

1*  Physician  of  Weymouth,  Mass. 

The  names  of  those  gentlemen  of  Hopkinton  who  have  since  received  a  liberal 


Such  has  been  the  town,  church,  ministers,  deacons, 
graduates,  and  such  the  state  of  society,  for  an  hun- 
dred years. 

What  now  remains  is  to  conclude  the  subject  with 
some  reflections  on  what  has  been  said,  and  some 
advice  in  the  choice  and  treatment  of  another  min- 
ister. 

"  One  generation  passeth  away,  and  another  gener- 
ation Cometh :  but  the  earth  abideth  forever." 

Your  habits  are  so  firmly  fixed,  that  no  reformation 
is  to  be  expected  during  my  ministry  ;  and,  indeed,  it 
would  require  more  power  in  the  Deity  to  effect  it, 
than  it  did  to  create  the  world.  For  when  he  created 
the  world,  he  had  only  to  say :  "  Let  there  be  light, 
and  there  was  fight."  He  had  no  opposition.  But  to 
bring  you  to  a  sense  of  justice  and  equity,  he  must 
overcome  your  private,  personal  attachment  to  your 
own  supposed  woildly  interest ;  and  that  would  require 
more  power  than  it  did  to  create  the  world ! 

And  beside,  my  life  is  so  far  spent,  that,  should  you 
reform,  it  is  doubtful  whether  it  would  produce  any 
very  beneficial  effects  on  my  labors.  I  mean  to  tell 
the  whole  truth  without  partiality,  or  respect  of  per- 
sons. 

I.  Then,  we  see  from  this  subject,  that  when  a  peo- 
ple are  unjust  to  their  minister,  they  do  not  know 
where  they  are  going,  any  more  than  the  man  who 
goes  to  the  tavern,  into  company,  to  the  gambling- 
table,  to  intemperance,  family  quarrelling,  poverty, 
sickness,  death  and  hell !  Such  persons  frequently 
think  they  are  walking  at  liberty,  when  they  are,  in 


education  are  as  follows:  Mellen  Chamberlain,  B.  U.,  1827;  Elias  Nason,  B.  U^ 
1835;  Benj.  S.  Corbett,  B.  U.,  1837  ;  Leonard  Fitch,  Burlington;  James  M.  Phipps, 
B.  U.  1842.  —  N. 


54 

reality,  bringing  themselves  under  the  severest  of  all 
masters. 

Just  so,  quarrels,  divisions,  contentions,  separations, 
meeting-houses,  lawsuits,  are  the  consequences  of 
injustice  to  ministers. 

When  a  people  begin  to  step  on  the  devil's  ground, 
they  do  not  know  when  they  shall  stop. 

II.  We  see  from  this  subject  the  meaning  of  that 
part  of  the  second  commandment,  which  speaks  "  of 
visiting  the  iniquities  of  the  fathers  upon  the  children, 
to  the  third  and  fourth  generation."  The  injustice  of 
the  fathers  to  their  minister,  falls  on  their  children,  in 
the  loss  of  that  religious  order,  instruction,  and  disci- 
pUne,  which  they  would  have  received,  had  the  fathers 
been  just  and  equitable;  and  it  descends  to  the  third 
and  fourth  generation,  in  contentions,  divisions,  and 
every  evil  work. 

III.  We  may  see  from  this  subject,  what  abundant 
gratitude  ive  ought  to  feel,  to  the  creator  and  governor 
of  the  world,  that  we  can  live  in  so  much  harmony, 
when  we  have  had  so  many  things  to  disturb  our 
peace.  The  half-way  covenant,  —  religious  sentiments, 
—  politics,  —  church  discipline  ;  —  and  the  want  of 
justice  and  equity,  in  the  support  of  the  gospel ! ! 

All  which  now  remains  is,  to  give  you  some  advice 
in  your  choice  and  treatment  of  another  minister. 
"  One  generation  passeth  away,  and  another  genera- 
tion cometh :  but  the  earth  abideth  forever."  In  a 
little  time  more,  this  sacred  desk  will  be  left  vacant  by 
my  dismission  or  death.  This  countenance  you  will 
see  no  more,  in  the  land  of  the  living ;  the  tongue 
which  now  speaks  will  be  silent;  and  these  eyes 
closed  in  death.  Then,  you  will  need  another  minis- 
ter.    Will  you  receive  the  word  of  exhortation,  from 


55 

one  who  has  had  some  experience  in  the  gospel  min- 
istry, and  who  thinks  he  wishes  your  temporal  and 
spiritual  good  ? 

Look  out  a  man  of  good  natural  understanding,  of 
a  good  education,  and  a  pious  heart:  and  this  you 
must  learn,  not  so  much  from  his  profession,  as  prac- 
tice. For  when  men  talk  very  freely  of  their  own 
piety,  we  have  reason  to  doubt  their  sincerity.  "  Empty 
vessels  sound  the  loudest." 

When  you  have  found  a  man  of  good  natural  abili- 
ties, of  a  good  education,  and  pious  heart ;  settle  him. 
Give  him  a  generous  and  honorable  support,  and  pay 
him  punctually,  as  you  have  paid  me.  This  you  must 
do  as  a  duty  you  owe  to  God,  to  yourselves,  and  your 
children.  To  enable  him  to  apply  himself  to  the  work 
of  the  ministry,  if  his  salary  depreciate  ten  per  cent, 
make  it  good ;  if  fifty  per  cent.,  make  it  good :  if  it 
depreciates  to  half  its  original  value,  double  it :  this 
you  must  do  to  convince  him  you  mean  to  be  honest ; 
and  that  he  has  no  occasion  to  be  troubled  about 
worldly  things. 

Attend  on  his  ministry  constantly :  you  build  school- 
houses,  and  support  schoolmasters  ;  but  of  what  con- 
sequence is  this,  unless  you  send  your  children  to 
school  ?  Just  so  it  is  with  respect  to  a  minister.  You 
may  have  a  minister  and  pay  him  ^£70  salary,  or 
seventy  times  seven,  but  if  you  do  not  attend  on  his 
ministry,  it  is  all  lost. 

Pray  for  him  sincerely  and  piously ;  this  will  bring 
you  to  the  house  of  God  in  a  suitable  frame  :  this  will 
prepare  you  to  receive  the  gospel  from  his  lips,  and 
to  be  savingly  benefited  by  its  blessed  effects. 

And  one  thing  more.  Live  in  peace  among  your- 
selves.    Eph.  4:31,  32.  "  Let  all  bitterness,  and  wrath, 


56 

and  anger,  and  clamor,  and  evil-speaking  be  put  away 
from  you,  with  all  malice." —  "  And  be  ye  kind  one  to 
another,  tender-hearted,  forgiving  one  another,  even  as 
God  for  Christ's  sake  hath  forgiven  you." 

If  ye  do  these  things,  prosperity  will  attend  you  on 
earth,  and  heaven  will  be  your  eternal  portion. 


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